Methods and devices for testing a device under test using test site specific thermal control signaling
Embodiments of the present invention provide an automated test equipment (a “tester”) for testing a device under test, including a bidirectional dedicated real-time handler interface. Some embodiments include an interface having a trigger function, a fixed endpoint interface, an interface arranged on a test head, and/or a number of lines/communication channels adapted to a specific communication task, without separate signal lines, for example. The bidirectional dedicated real-time handler interface can be used to transmit thermal control signals, and the transmitted signals can be test site specific. The real-time signaling advantageously improves testing accuracy and efficiency.
1 . An automated test equipment (ATE) system for testing a device under test (DUT), the ATE system comprising:
a handler coupled to a plurality of test sites by a real-time handler interface, wherein the plurality of test sites are operable to test DUTs; and
the real-time handler interface,
wherein the real-time handler interface is operable to:
provide a trigger signal to the handler coupled to the real-time handler interface, wherein the trigger signal is operable to trigger and control a temperature control function of the handler, and wherein the trigger signal comprises delay information for different test sites pertaining to delays between a beginning of thermal preconditioning operations performed for the different test sites responsive to the trigger signal.
2 . The automated test equipment system as described in claim 1 , wherein the trigger signal further comprises at least one of: a test site specific alarm; a test site specific trigger identification; a test site specific temperature adjustment; test site specific setup information; test site specific heat dissipation information; and test site specific timing information.
3 . The automated test equipment system as described in claim 1 , wherein the trigger signal further comprises test site identification information.
4 . The automated test equipment system as described in claim 3 , wherein the test site identification information comprises a test site ID modulated onto the trigger signal.
5 . The automated test equipment system as described in claim 1 , wherein the trigger signal further comprises at least one of: control amplitude information; and control duration information.
6 . The automated test equipment system as described in claim 1 , wherein the real-time handler interface is further operable to provide a test site specific signal in response to a particular DUT reaching a predetermined state of a test flow.
7 . A handler for testing a device under test (DUT), the handler comprising:
a circuit; and
a real-time interface coupled to a plurality of test sites, wherein the plurality of test sites are operable to test DUTs, and
wherein the circuit is operable to:
receive a trigger signal from an automated test equipment (ATE) coupled to the real-time interface, wherein the trigger signal is operable to trigger and control a temperature control function during DUT testing, wherein the trigger signal comprises delay information for different test sites pertaining to delays between a beginning of thermal preconditioning operations performed for the different test sites responsive to the trigger signal; and
control a temperature control function of a particular test site of the plurality of test sites in response to the trigger signal.
8 . The handler as described in claim 7 , wherein the circuit is further operable to receive said trigger signal from the ATE via the real-time interface, and wherein the trigger signal comprises at least one of: a test site specific alarm; test site specific trigger identification information; test site specific temperature adjustment information; test site specific setup information; test site specific heat dissipation information; and test site specific timing information.
9 . The handler as described in claim 7 , wherein the trigger signal further comprises test site identification information, and wherein the test site identification information is associated with a specific test site of the plurality of test sites.
10 . The handler as described in claim 9 , wherein the test site identification information comprises a test site ID modulated onto the trigger signal.
11 . The handler as described in claim 9 , wherein the trigger signal comprises at least one of: control amplitude information; and control duration information.
12 . A method of testing a device under test (DUT), the method comprising:
providing a trigger signal to a handler coupled to a plurality of DUTs via a real-time handler interface, wherein the trigger signal is operable to trigger and control a temperature control function of the handler, wherein the trigger signal comprises delay information for different test sites pertaining to delays between a beginning of thermal preconditioning operations performed for the different test sites responsive to the trigger signal; and
controlling a temperature control function of the handler to test a particular DUT of the plurality of DUTs based on the trigger signal.
13 . The method as described in claim 12 , wherein the trigger signal comprises at least one of: a test site specific alarm; test site specific trigger identification information; test site specific temperature adjustment information; test site specific setup information; test site specific heat dissipation information; and test site specific timing information.
14 . The method as described in claim 12 , wherein the trigger signal further comprises test site identification information, and wherein the test site identification information is associated with a specific test site.
15 . The method as described in claim 14 , wherein the test site identification information comprises a test site ID modulated onto the trigger signal.
16 . A method of testing a device under test (DUT) coupled to a handler, the method comprising:
receiving, at the handler, a trigger signal from an automated test equipment (ATE) via a real-time handler interface, wherein the handler is coupled to a plurality of test sites via the real-time handler interface, wherein the plurality of test sites are operable to test DUTs, wherein the wherein the trigger signal is operable to trigger and control a temperature control function of the handler, and wherein the trigger signal comprises delay information for different test sites pertaining to delays between a beginning of thermal preconditioning operations performed for the different test sites responsive to the trigger signal; and
controlling a temperature control function of the handler in response to the trigger signal to test a particular DUT coupled to the handler.
17 . The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the trigger signal comprises at least one of: a test site specific alarm; test site specific trigger identification information; test site specific temperature adjustment information; test site specific setup information; test site specific heat dissipation information; and test site specific timing information.
18 . The method as described in claim 16 , wherein the trigger signal further comprises test site identification information, and wherein the test site identification information is associated with a specific test site.