System and method to monitor contact joint integrity
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for monitoring contact joint integrity in an information handling system may include precisely monitoring a change in resistance of a resistive element associated with a contact joint. The change in resistance of the resistive element may be indicative of the integrity of the contact joint. The resistance may be measured using a modulated current source and by demodulating a voltage signal resulting from the modulated current flowing across the resistive element.
1. A method for monitoring contact joint integrity in an information handling system, comprising:
supplying a modulated current to a resistive element at a contact joint in the information handling system, the modulated current being modulated at a first frequency;
amplifying a modulated voltage signal at the resistive element, the modulated voltage signal resulting from the modulated current flowing through the resistive element;
demodulating, using the first frequency, the amplified modulated voltage signal to result in an output voltage signal that is a direct current (DC) signal; and
monitoring the output voltage signal to register a voltage change indicative of a change in resistance of the resistive element,
wherein the first frequency is less than 20 hertz.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resistive element is mechanically coupled to the contact joint in the information handling system, and wherein the change in resistance of the resistive element indicates a mechanical change in the contact joint.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the contact joint is a ball grid array contact element and wherein the resistive element is a spacer pad used to offset the ball grid array contact element.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resistive element is a contact joint in the information handling system.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the modulated current has an amplitude of less than 500 milliamperes.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the change in resistance is less than 5% of a resistance of the resistive element, and wherein the change in resistance occurs in portions of the resistive element.
7. A test circuit for monitoring contact joint integrity in an information handling system, the test circuit comprising:
a modulated driver to:
receive a clock input at a first frequency;
generate a modulated current at the first frequency; and
generate a gate driver signal at the first frequency; and
a demodulator to:
receive a modulated voltage signal resulting from the modulated current flowing through a resistive element at a contact joint in the information handling system; and
demodulate the modulated voltage signal to result in an output voltage signal that is a direct current (DC) signal, wherein a voltage change in the output voltage signal is indicative of a change in resistance of the resistive element,
wherein the first frequency is less than 20 hertz.
8. The test circuit of claim 7 , wherein the test circuit is removably coupled to the information handling system.
9. The test circuit of claim 7 , wherein the test circuit is integrated into a circuit board included with the information handling system.
10. The test circuit of claim 7 , wherein the resistive element is mechanically coupled to the contact joint in the information handling system, and wherein the change in resistance of the resistive element indicates a mechanical change in the contact joint.
11. The test circuit of claim 10 , wherein the contact joint is a ball grid array contact element and wherein the resistive element is a spacer pad used to offset the ball grid array contact element.
12. The test circuit of claim 7 , wherein the resistive element is a contact joint in the information handling system.
13. The test circuit of claim 7 , wherein:
the modulated current has an amplitude of less than 500 milliamperes.
14. The test circuit of claim 7 , wherein the change in resistance is less than 5% of a resistance of the resistive element, and wherein the change in resistance occurs in portions of the resistive element.
15. An information handling system comprising a test circuit, the test circuit comprising:
a modulated driver to:
receive a clock input at a first frequency;
generate a modulated current at the first frequency; and
generate a gate driver signal at the first frequency; and
a demodulator to:
receive a modulated voltage signal resulting from the modulated current flowing through a resistive element at a contact joint in the information handling system; and
demodulate the modulated voltage signal to result in an output voltage signal that is a direct current (DC) signal, wherein a voltage change in the output voltage signal is indicative of a change in resistance of the resistive element,
wherein the first frequency is less than 20 hertz.
16. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the resistive element is mechanically coupled to the contact joint in the information handling system, and wherein the change in resistance of the resistive element indicates a mechanical change in the contact joint.
17. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein the contact joint is a ball grid array contact element and wherein the resistive element is a spacer pad used to offset the ball grid array contact element.
18. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the resistive element is a contact joint in the information handling system.
19. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein:
the modulated current has an amplitude of less than 500 milliamperes.
20. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the change in resistance is less than 5% of a resistance of the resistive element, and wherein the change in resistance occurs in portions of the resistive element.