Form factor equivalent load testing device

1 . An electronic load testing system, comprising:

a control module configured to be electrically coupled to a first location on a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly of an electronic assembly; and

a load module configured to be electrically coupled to a second location on the PCB assembly, wherein the first location and the second location are spaced apart and in electronic communication via one or more traces of the PCB assembly;

the load module comprising a load cell configured to mimic a load by selectively conducting current from a power supply of the PCB assembly, the load cell comprising a transistor and a current sense resistor;

wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the load module via the one or more traces of the PCB assembly.

2 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first location and/or the second location comprises an integrated socket of the PCB.

3 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein the first location comprises a memory module socket and the second location comprises a processor socket.

4 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein the load cell is a first load cell; and

wherein the load module comprises at least a second load cell, such that the first load cell and the second load cell share a common negative current sense connection.

5 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein the transistor comprises a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).

6 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein the control module includes a linear driver configured to generate a driving voltage applied to a gate of the transistor.

7 . The electronic load testing system of claim 6 , wherein the linear driver is coupled to an output of a digital-to-analog converter such that the control module is configured to adjust for nonlinearities of the transistor.

8 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein the load cell is a first load cell and the load module comprises at least a second load cell;

wherein the control module is configured to utilize respective linear drivers to generate driving voltages applied to respective transistors of the load cells; and

wherein the first load cell and the second load cell share a common negative current sense connection and a common positive current sense connection.

9 . The electronic load testing system of claim 8 , wherein the linear drivers are configured to utilize respective outputs of digital-to-analog converters to adjust for nonlinearities of the transistors.

10 . The electronic load testing system of claim 8 , wherein the linear drivers are configured to utilize an output of a same digital-to-analog converter to adjust for nonlinearities of the transistors.

11 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the electronic load testing system is configured to measure one or more thermal management properties of the electronic assembly using the temperature sensor.

12 . The electronic load testing system of claim 1 , further comprising the electronic assembly, wherein the electronic load testing system is coupled to the electronic assembly, and wherein the electronic assembly comprises a computer motherboard, the first location is a memory module socket, the second location is a processor socket, and the one or more traces comprise a data bus of the motherboard.

13 . A method of testing a characteristic of an electrical system utilizing the electronic load testing system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical system includes the PCB of the electronic assembly, the method comprising:

causing a current in the load cell by transmitting a drive signal from the control module to a gate of the transistor via one or more of the traces of the PCB assembly;

measuring a voltage across the current sense resistor using the control module via one or more of the traces; and

assessing the characteristic of the electrical system by comparing the measured voltage to an expected voltage.

14 . An electronic load testing system configured to emulate aspects of an integrated circuit (IC), the testing system comprising:

a control module configured to be electrically coupled to a first location on a printed circuit board (PCB) of an electronic assembly; and

a load module configured to be electrically coupled to a second location on the PCB, the load module comprising a load cell configured to selectively conduct current from a power supply of the electronic assembly, the load cell comprising a transistor and a current sense resistor;

wherein the first location and the second location are spaced apart and in electronic communication via one or more traces of the PCB;

wherein the control module is configured to communicate with the load module via the one or more traces of the PCB; and

wherein the load module and the IC have a same footprint.

15 . The electronic load testing system of claim 14 , wherein the load module is configured to have substantially the same thermal properties as the IC.

16 . The electronic load testing system of claim 15 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the electronic load testing system is configured to measure one or more thermal management properties of the electronic assembly using the temperature sensor.

17 . The electronic load testing system of claim 14 , further comprising the electronic assembly;

wherein the electronic load testing system is coupled to the electronic assembly; and

wherein the electronic assembly comprises a computer motherboard, the first location is a memory module socket, the second location is a processor socket, and the one or more traces comprise a data bus of the motherboard.

18 . The electronic load testing system of claim 14 , wherein the load cell is a first load cell, the load module further comprising a second load cell sharing a common negative current sense connection with the first load cell.

19 . The electronic load testing system of claim 14 , wherein the control module is physically separate from the load module.