Systems and methods for testing cabled interconnects under mechanical stress

1 . A system, comprising:

a mechanical stressor configured to apply mechanical stress to a cable coupled to a test circuit board via a connector-cable interface in order to cause mechanical stress upon the connector-cable interface; and

a controller configured to:

transmit one or more first test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

perform first vector network analysis measurements for one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more first test signals in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

transmit one or more second test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

perform second vector network analysis measurements for the one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more second test signals in the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface; and

based on differences between the first vector network analysis measurements and the second vector network analysis measurements, determine whether or not the connector-cable interface has satisfied signal integrity requirements.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein one or more electrical parameters comprise one or more of resistance, inductance, capacitance, phase, and crosstalk associated with the electrical pathways.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the mechanical stressor is configured to apply multiple mechanical stresses to the cable to cause mechanical stress upon the connector-cable interface in a plurality of different directions; and

the controller is configured to execute the transmission steps, the performing steps, and the determining step for each of the plurality of different directions.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to execute the transmission steps, the performing steps, and the determining step on a different test circuit board for each of the plurality of different directions.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the one or more first test signals and perform first vector network analysis measurements prior to the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the one or more first test signals and perform first vector network analysis measurements after removal of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

transmit one or more third test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface and after removal of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

perform third vector network analysis measurements for one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more third test signals in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

transmit the one or more first test signals and perform first vector network analysis measurements prior to the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface; and

based on comparisons among the first vector network analysis measurements, the second vector network analysis measurements, and the third vector network analysis measurements, determine whether or not the connector-cable interface has satisfied signal integrity requirements.

8 . A method, comprising:

transmitting one or more first test signals to electrical pathways of a connector-cable interface between a cable and a test circuit board in the absence of mechanical stress applied by a mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

performing first vector network analysis measurements for one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more first test signals in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

transmitting one or more second test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

performing second vector network analysis measurements for the one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more second test signals in the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface; and

based on differences between the first vector network analysis measurements and the second vector network analysis measurements, determining whether or not the connector-cable interface has satisfied signal integrity requirements.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein one or more electrical parameters comprise one or more of resistance, inductance, capacitance, phase, and crosstalk associated with the electrical pathways.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the mechanical stressor is configured to apply multiple mechanical stresses to the cable to cause mechanical stress upon the connector-cable interface in a plurality of different directions, and the method comprises executing the transmission steps, the performing steps, and the determining step for each of the plurality of different directions.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising executing the transmission steps, the performing steps, and the determining step on a different test circuit board for each of the plurality of different directions.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting the one or more first test signals and performing first vector network analysis measurements prior to the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising transmitting the one or more first test signals and performing first vector network analysis measurements after removal of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

transmitting one or more third test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface and after removal of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

performing third vector network analysis measurements for one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more third test signals in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

transmitting the one or more first test signals and performing first vector network analysis measurements prior to the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface; and

based on comparisons among the first vector network analysis measurements, the second vector network analysis measurements, and the third vector network analysis measurements, determining whether or not the connector-cable interface has satisfied signal integrity requirements.

15 . An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:

transmit one or more first test signals to electrical pathways of a connector-cable interface between a cable and a test circuit board in the absence of mechanical stress applied by a mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

perform first vector network analysis measurements for one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more first test signals in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

transmit one or more second test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

perform second vector network analysis measurements for the one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more second test signals in the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface; and

based on differences between the first vector network analysis measurements and the second vector network analysis measurements, determine whether or not the connector-cable interface has satisfied signal integrity requirements.

16 . The article of claim 15 , wherein one or more electrical parameters comprise one or more of resistance, inductance, capacitance, phase, and crosstalk associated with the electrical pathways.

17 . The article of claim 15 , wherein the mechanical stressor is configured to apply multiple mechanical stresses to the cable to cause mechanical stress upon the connector-cable interface in a plurality of different directions, and the instructions are for further causing the processor to execute the transmission steps, the performing steps, and the determining step for each of the plurality of different directions.

18 . The article of claim 17 , the instructions for further causing the processor to execute the transmission steps, the performing steps, and the determining step on a different test circuit board for each of the plurality of different directions.

19 . The article of claim 15 , the instructions for further causing the processor to transmit the one or more first test signals and perform first vector network analysis measurements prior to the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface.

20 . The article of claim 15 , the instructions for further causing the processor to transmit the one or more first test signals and perform first vector network analysis measurements after removal of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface.

21 . The article of claim 15 , the instructions for further causing the processor to:

transmit one or more third test signals to electrical pathways of the connector-cable interface in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface and after removal of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

perform third vector network analysis measurements for one or more electrical parameters based on resultant signals from the electrical pathways resulting from the one or more third test signals in the absence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface;

transmit the one or more first test signals and perform first vector network analysis measurements prior to the presence of mechanical stress applied by the mechanical stressor to the connector-cable interface; and

based on comparisons among the first vector network analysis measurements, the second vector network analysis measurements, and the third vector network analysis measurements, determine whether or not the connector-cable interface has satisfied signal integrity requirements.