Front end module for automatic test equipment

Automatic test equipment (ATE) comprising:

• a test instrument for outputting test signals to test a device under test (DUT), and for receiving output signals from the DUT, the test instrument comprising a front-end module, the front-end module comprising:
• internal source circuitry to perform generating the test signals to be output by the test instrument;
• and
• internal receiver circuitry to perform receiving the output signals from the DUT and to pass the output signals to test circuitry;
• external source circuitry to perform generating the test signals to be output by the test instrument, the external source circuitry being partly or completely outside the front-end module;
• external receiver circuitry to perform receiving the response signals and to pass the output signals to the test circuitry, the external receiver circuitry being partly or completely outside the front-end module;
• and
• one or more processing devices to configure the test instrument to use one of (i) the internal source circuitry and the internal receiver circuitry, or (ii) the external source circuitry and the external receiver circuitry.

Automatic test equipment (ATE) comprising:

• a test instrument for outputting test signals to test a device under test (DUT), and for receiving output signals from the DUT, the test instrument comprising a front-end module, the front-end module comprising internal circuitry for performing functions relating to the DUT;
• and
• external circuitry for performing the functions relating to the DUT via the test instrument, the external circuitry being external to the front-end module and being shared among multiple front-end modules or channels of the test instrument;
• wherein the test instrument is configurable to use one of (i) the internal circuitry, or (ii) the external circuitry to perform the functions.