Patents Examined by Ernest F. Karlsen
  • Patent number: 7737707
    Abstract: A sheet-like probe and a method of producing the probe. In the probe electrode structure bodies do not come out from an insulation film and achieve high durability, and in a burn-in test for a wafer having a large area and for a circuit device having to-be-inspected electrodes with small intervals, positional displacement, caused by temperature variation, between the electrode structure bodies and the to-be-inspected electrode can be reliably prevented for stable connection conditions. The sheet-like probe includes an insulation layer and a contact film provided with electrode structure bodies arranged on the insulation layer to be apart from each other in the surface direction of the insulation layer and penetratingly extend in the thickness direction of the insulation layer. The electrode structure bodies each are composed of a surface electrode section exposed to the front surface of the insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumi Sato, Kazuo Inoue, Hitoshi Fujiyama, Mutsuhiko Yoshioka, Hisao Igarashi
  • Patent number: 7733115
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate testing circuit comprising a testing bus and a testing signal terminal connected to the testing bus, a signal line to be tested in the substrate being connected to the testing bus via a signal connecting terminal, wherein a plurality of signal access terminals are provided on the testing bus; one testing branch is connected between each the signal access terminal and the testing signal terminal; and resistance values of the testing branches are the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yupeng Chen, Zhenhuan Tian, Kiyoung Kwon
  • Patent number: 7728612
    Abstract: A probe card assembly has a probe contactor substrate having a plurality of probe contactor tips thereon and a probe card wiring board with an interposer disposed between the two. Support posts contacting the probe contactor substrate are vertically adjustable until secured by a locking mechanism which is coupled to the probe card wiring board. When the posts are secured in a fixed position, the position is one in which the plane of the plurality of probe contactor substrates is substantially parallel to a predetermined reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Touchdown Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Raffi Garabedian, Nim Hak Tea, Steven Wang, Heather Karklin
  • Patent number: 7724010
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a probe for making electrical connection to a contact pad on a microelectronic device. A foot having a length, a thickness, a width, a proximal end, and a distal end, is connected to a substrate. The length of the foot is greater than its width. A torsion bar having a length, a width, a thickness, a proximal end, and a distal end, is connected to the distal end of the foot at the proximal end of torsion bar. The torsion bar lies in a first plane. A spacer having a length, a width, and a thickness, is connected to the distal end of the torsion bar. An arm having a length, a width, a thickness, a proximal end, and a distal end is connected to said spacer at the arms proximal end. The arm lies in a second plane and the second plane is in a different plane than the first plane. A first post having a top side and a bottom side is connected to the arm near the distal end of the arm. A tip is electrically connected to the top side of the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Touchdown Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Melvin Khoo, Nim Tea, Salleh Ismail, Yang Hsu, Weilong Tang, Raffi Garabedian
  • Patent number: 7719257
    Abstract: A current sensing module for disposal proximate a conductor is disclosed. The current sensing module includes a housing having a first section and a second section that together define an opening for receiving the conductor therethrough. The second section is in operable connection with the first section. The current sensing module further includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) based current sensor disposed within the first section proximate the opening for receiving the conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dean Arthur Robarge, Robert Joseph Caggiano, Cecil Rivers, Jr., Roossely Delica
  • Patent number: 7705618
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a composite conductive sheet that has rigid conductors movable in a thickness-wise direction of an insulating sheet without falling off from the insulating sheet and is easy to handle by itself, a production process thereof, and an anisotropically conductive connector, an adaptor device and an electrical inspection apparatus for circuit devices, which are each equipped with this composite conductive sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kimura, Fujio Hara, Ken-ichi Koyama, Sugiro Shimoda
  • Patent number: 7696769
    Abstract: A method of obtaining accurately a heat-dissipating requirement for electronic systems of a same kind uses a thermal analysis software, a passed thermal module with a fan, and a fan speed regulating device. The method includes steps of: (1) connecting the fan to the fan speed regulating device; (2) turning on one electronic system and running the fan, monitoring the electronic system; (3) reducing the speed of the fan until the electronic system is shut down, recording the fan speed; (4) getting a thermal resistance (Ri) of the thermal module when it runs in an open space with the fan running at the speed at which the electronic system is shut down; (5) repeating above four steps to get some Ri's of some other such electronic systems; (6) using the thermal analysis software to analyze the Ri's of the electronic systems and getting accurately the heat-dissipating requirement for the electronic systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignees: Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Shih Hsieh, Fa-Yin Yan
  • Patent number: 7692439
    Abstract: A structure representative of a conductive interconnect of a microelectronic element is provided, which may include a conductive metallic plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of peripheral edges extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface defining a horizontally extending plane. The structure may also include a lower via having a top end in conductive communication with the metallic plate and a bottom end vertically displaced from the top end. A lower conductive or semiconductive element can be in contact with the bottom end of the lower via. An upper metallic via can lie in at least substantial vertical alignment with the lower conductive via, the upper metallic via having a bottom end in conductive communication with the metallic plate and a top end vertically displaced from the bottom end. The upper metallic via may have a width at least about ten times than the length of the metallic plate and about ten times smaller than the width of the metallic plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kaushik Chanda, Birendra Agarwala, Lawrence A. Clevenger, Andrew P. Cowley, Ronald G. Filippi, Jason P. Gill, Tom C. Lee, Baozhen Li, Paul S. McLaughlin, Du B. Nguyen, Hazara S. Rathore, Timothy D. Sullivan, Chih-Chao Yang
  • Patent number: 7688097
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a probe tip assembly for testing of integrated circuits or other microelectronic devices. The probe tip assembly may include a plurality of independently flexible contact fingers extending from a support, each contact finger spaced apart from the other contact fingers, and each contact finger terminating in free space at an end distal from the support. A probe may be constructed by attaching the free ends of the contact fingers to electrical contacts on a circuit board and then removing the support from the contact fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Leonard Hayden, John Martin, Mike Andrews
  • Patent number: 7683606
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for testing and inspection of a display panel. The methods involve the application of voltages to rollers or testing conductive films. By applying a potential difference to the appropriate rollers or testing conductive films, different optical states of a display panel can be displayed for inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Sipix Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Yih-Ming Kang, John Hanan Liu, Wanheng Wang, Yi-Shung Chaug
  • Patent number: 7675307
    Abstract: A heating apparatus for semiconductor devices comprises an oven including a front wall having a plurality of front openings and a back wall having a plurality of back openings each with isolating self-closing doors, a carrier module configured to load semiconductor devices into the oven through the front opening in a removable manner, a temperature-controlling module configured to control the temperature of the oven, and a test module positioned at a backside of the oven and configured to generate, receive or switch electrical test signals for the semiconductor devices in the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Star Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Choon Leong Lou, Li Min Wang, Yi Ming Lau, Ho Yeh Chen
  • Patent number: 7667474
    Abstract: A probe device includes a stage for fixing a semiconductor device having an external connection pad; a heating unit provided in the stage, for heating the semiconductor device to a predetermined temperature; and a probe card having a probe pin and a support substrate for supporting the probe pin, in which a resistance heating element is provided to the support substrate so as to heat a portion of the support substrate corresponding to a disposition portion of the probe pin to a temperature substantially equal to the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Sunohara, Mitsutoshi Higashi
  • Patent number: 7663392
    Abstract: The present invention provides a synchronous semiconductor device suitable for improving the efficiency of application of electrical stresses to the device, an inspection system and an inspection method thereof in order to efficiently carrying out a burn-in stress test. A command latch circuit having an access command input will output a low-level pulse in synchronism with an external clock. The pulse will pass through a NAND gate of test mode sequence circuit and a common NAND gate to output a low-level internal precharge signal, which will reset a word line activating signal from the control circuit. Simultaneously, an internal precharge signal passing through the NAND gate will be delayed by an internal timer a predetermined period of time to output through the NAND gate a low-level internal active signal, which will set a word line activating signal from the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sugamoto, Hidetoshi Tanaka, Yasushige Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7663358
    Abstract: A current sensor which can measure accurately current of a wide range, at low cost. A C-shaped shield plate is positioned around a flow direction of a current of the bus bar. When the current flows through the bus bar, magnetic flux density of a magnetic field is generated. A magneto-electronic conversion element detects the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field, and converts the magnetic flux density into an electric signal. Furthermore, the magneto-electronic conversion element is arranged near a position where the previously measured magnetic flux density of the magnetic field, which is generated when a current flows through the bus bar, is minimized between the conductor and the shield plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Hashio, Shingo Nomoto
  • Patent number: 7659711
    Abstract: A handler may include a handler system main body used for testing semiconductor devices; an open-type stocker portion on a front side of the handler system main body; and/or a plurality of single-door-type stockers in the open-type stocker portion. The single-door-type stockers may include windows on upper parts of front sides of the single-door-type stockers. The front sides of the single-door-type stockers may be protected. The handler also may include a front top door on an upper part of the front side of the handler system main body; locking stoppers below the windows of the single-door-type stockers; safety sensors on sides of the open-type stocker portion; and/or a working table in front of the open-type stocker portion. The open-type stocker portion may be below the front top door. The safety sensors may stop the handler when the single-door-type stockers are not closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeon-gyu Song, Ho-gyung Kim, Kyong-eob Eom, Seung-hee Lee, Jae-ho Song
  • Patent number: 7659738
    Abstract: A test socket includes a socket body in which a semiconductor package is located, a socket head combined with the socket body, a Peltier element in the socket head, and power terminals connected to the Peltier element. A test equipment includes the test socket and a method of testing the semiconductor package uses the test socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun-Pyo Hong
  • Patent number: 7649371
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a thermal stratification test providing cyclical and steady-state stratified environments. In order to test an electronic device, for example one having one or more levels of ball-grid-array interconnections, e.g., connecting a chip to a flip-chip substrate and connecting the flip-chip substrate to a printed circuit board of a device, an apparatus and method are provided to heat one side of the device while cooling the second side. In some embodiments, the process is then reversed to cool the first side and heat the second. Some embodiments repeat the cycle of heat-cool-heat-cool several times, and then perform functional tests of the electronic circuitry. In some embodiments, the functional tests are performed in one or more thermal-stratification configurations after cycling at more extreme thermal stratification setups. In some embodiments, a test that emphasizes solder creep is employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: C. Walter Fenk
  • Patent number: 7646192
    Abstract: An electric current measurement device includes a housing defining first and second open ends sealed by first and second sealing means, respectively: a first optical fiber received in an aperture in the first sealing means and in optical communication with a first optical lens in the housing; a first polarization filter in the housing in optical communication with the first lens; a magneto-optical rod within the housing in optical communication with the first polarization filter; a second polarization filter in the housing in optical communication with the rod; and a second optical lens in the housing in optical communication with the second polarization filter. The second sealing means has an aperture for receiving a second optical fiber fixed to the second lens. First and second lids, attachable to the first and second housing ends, respectively include apertures for receiving the first and second optical fibers, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Powersense A/S
    Inventor: Lars N. Bjørn
  • Patent number: 7646208
    Abstract: On-chip sensor to detect power supply vulnerabilities. The on-chip sensor employs a sensitive delay chain and an insensitive delay chain to detect power supply undershoots and overshoots without requiring external off-chip components. Undershoots and overshoots outside a user-defined threshold are detected. The undershoots and overshoots are indicated by a relative difference in phase of the two delay chains. The two delay chains are programmable to detect various frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank D. Ferraiolo, Anuja Sehgal, Peilin Song, Michael A. Sperling
  • Patent number: 7642768
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a magnetic field sensing element, a first conductor including sandwich structure and second conductor including sandwich structure electrically coupled to one another. The magnetic field sensing element is interposed between the first and second sandwich structure. The magnetic field sensing element is operable to receive magnetic flux lines resulting from current flowing through the first and second conductor sandwich structure. The first and second conductor sandwich structure each include a top portion including at least a first electrical conductor, a bottom portion including at least a second electrical conductor, and a layer of magnetic permeable material different from the first and second electrical conductor interposed between the top portion and bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Helmut Kinzel