Patents Examined by Paresh Patel
  • Patent number: 11204369
    Abstract: A semiconductor device test socket has a shielding structure formed around each contactor so as to prevent signal delay or distortion during a test process and thereby enhance the test reliability. The socket includes a vertical probe comprising a contactor which has a contact terminal to be electrically connected to an external connection terminal of a semiconductor device. The shielding structure which is formed by laminating a conductive material on the outer edge of the contactor and is electrically connected to a ground. The socket further includes an elastic layer which is filled in the space between the contactor and the shielding structure, and surrounds the contactor such that the contact terminal of the contactor is exposed; and a connection film which is formed by laminating a conductive material so as to electrically connect shielding structures of multiple vertical probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: MICRO FRIEND CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yong Ho Cho, Jong Myeon Lee, Tae Kyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11204370
    Abstract: A probe includes: a rod-shaped plunger (11) including a tip section (111) and an insertion section (112) connected to the tip section (111); a tube-shaped barrel (12) in which the insertion section (112) of the plunger (11) is located inside; and a conductive first fixing member (131) which is located in an area where the plunger (11) and the barrel (12) face each other and is configured to fix the plunger (11) to the barrel (12), the first fixing member (131) having a lower melting point than that of the material of both of the plunger (11) and the barrel (12). The gap between the plunger (11) and the barrel (12) is filled with the first fixing member (131) without any voids in a cross section of the probe in an area where the plunger (11) and the barrel (12) overlap each other, including the area where the first fixing member (131) is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nihon Micronics
    Inventors: Mika Nasu, Osamu Takeuti
  • Patent number: 11204398
    Abstract: A Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) system with a magnet configured to generate a magnetic field with a field free line, the magnet integrated with a flux return designed so that a flux path at approximately the center of the field-free line has a first reluctance and a second flux path distal from the center of the field-free line has a second reluctance, and the second reluctance is lower than the first reluctance to facilitate a high fidelity magnetic field and high fidelity field free line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignees: MAGNETIC INSIGHT, INC., THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventor: Patrick W. Goodwill
  • Patent number: 11204368
    Abstract: A first signal line pattern has one end electrically connected to a first connector. A second signal line pattern has one end electrically connected to a second connector. The second signal line pattern has the other end facing the other end of the first signal line pattern. A conductive block has a convex portion. The convex portion of the conductive block is electrically connected to a third portion of the conductive pattern positioned between the other end of the first signal line pattern and the other end of the second signal line pattern of the wiring board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Yokowo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Noguchi, Takahiro Nagata, Tsuyoshi Yamato
  • Patent number: 11193970
    Abstract: Disclosed are a test chamber and a test apparatus having the same. The test chamber includes a test compartment configured to support a plurality of test boards, each being configured to secure a test object. The test chamber applies a test signal to the test object. The test chamber includes an inlet side and a discharge side, and a supply duct vertically extending along a height of the test compartment. The supply duct supplies the inlet side of the test compartment with the test fluid. The test chamber includes a fluid controller to uniformly control a distribution of a test fluid in the supply duct and uniformly supply the test compartment with the test fluid. The disclosed test chamber and test apparatus provide a uniform test temperature and thereby improve a test reliability of a test object such as a semiconductor or semiconductor package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Seon-Mi Lee, Sung Jin Kim, Ja-Hwan Ku, Jae-Hyun Kim, Gilho Lee, Dahm Yu, Jonghyun Lim
  • Patent number: 11193955
    Abstract: The present invention provides a guide plate for a probe card. The guide plate for the probe card according to the present invention includes: a first guide plate including a plurality of first pin insertion holes formed therein, and made of an anodic oxide film; and a second guide plate disposed to be spaced apart from the first guide plate by a predetermined distance, and including a plurality of second pin insertion holes through which probe pins passing through the first pin insertion holes pass, wherein a buffer part is provided at least partially on each of an upper portion and a lower portion of the first guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: POINT ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bum Mo Ahn, Seung Ho Park, Sung Hyun Byun
  • Patent number: 11183970
    Abstract: A test device for testing a solar generator of a satellite or solar drone, the solar generator includes an array of solar cells, each junction being capable of converting photons of a respective wavelength band into electric current, the test device includes: an array of light sources including at least one row of light sources, wherein each light source emits light in each of the electrical conversion wavelength bands of the junction(s) of the solar cells, and a control unit for the array of light sources, and capable of controlling the turning on and off of each of the light sources of the array individually, wherein the array of light sources selectively illuminates each solar cell of the solar generator by turning on one or more light sources of the array, with the solar cell receiving an irradiance that is greater than at least 130W/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space SAS
    Inventors: Dominique Vergnet, Marc Sabathe
  • Patent number: 11175311
    Abstract: A high-frequency testing probe is disclosed. The probe includes a layered probe substrate having a first and second PCB, as well as first and second conducting traces disposed on opposite sides of the substrate. The probe substrate has an ungrounded differential region including two probe tips coupled to the traces, a grounded differential region, and a decoupled differential region including two probe connectors coupled to the traces. The probe also includes a ground plane between the two PCBs and between the two traces in the decoupled and grounded differential regions. In the ungrounded differential region, the first and second traces form a first differential transmission pair having a differential impedance. In the grounded differential region, the first and second traces form a second differential transmission pair having the differential impedance. The probe connectors are configured to couple to one of a vector network analyzer and a time domain reflectometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: SIGNAL MICROWAVE, LLC
    Inventors: William Rosas, Eric Gebhard, Peter Frank
  • Patent number: 11175310
    Abstract: A method for upgrading an automatic testing system includes electrically connecting at least one pogo pin attaching device to an expansion instrument and a pogo pin of a pogo pin interface of the automatic testing system wherein the pogo pin attaching device comprises at least one metal attaching member and at least one cable, each of said at least one cable having two opposite ends, a first end electrically connected to the metal attaching member and a second end electrically connected to the expansion instrument, and the metal attaching member attaches to the pogo pin. In response to operating the automatic testing system, electrically connecting the pogo pin to a subject so that a measurement path is established between the subject and the expansion instrument through the pogo pin attaching device, wherein the measurement path is configured to connect signals for upgrading the automatic testing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventor: Chien Wen Chang
  • Patent number: 11175313
    Abstract: A thin-film probe card and a test module thereof are provided. The test module includes a carrying unit, a plurality of vertical probes fixed in position by the carrying unit, an elastic cushion disposed on the carrying unit, and a thin sheet. The thin sheet includes a carrier partially disposed on the elastic cushion, a plurality of signal circuits disposed on the carrier, and a plurality of electrically conductive protrusions that are respectively formed on the signal circuits. An end of the vertical probes is arranged at an inner side of the electrically conductive protrusions and is coplanar with free ends of the electrically conductive protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: CHUNGHWA PRECISION TEST TECH. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Tsung Lee, Hsun-Tai Wei, Kai-Chieh Hsieh, Chao-Chiang Liu
  • Patent number: 11169178
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a locking mechanism for a press head, and an electronic device testing apparatus comprising the same, wherein a slider and a locking pin are disposed on the press head and a test socket substrate, respectively. When the press head is moved and engaged with the test socket substrate, an actuator drives the slider to secure the locking pin, so as to secure the press head and the test socket substrate and prevent the press head and the test socket substrate from being separated from each other. The mechanism is simple in construction, easy to install and maintain, reliable, and can be integrated into the support arms, and occupies a relatively small space. Energy is consumed only when the actuator is actuated to effect locking or unlocking. That is, only when the slider is driven and moved, energy is consumed. No extra energy is needed to persistently press down or drive the locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: CHROMA ATE INC.
    Inventors: Chin-Yi Ouyang, Chien-Ming Chen, Bo-An Su, Yu-Hsuen Wang
  • Patent number: 11162979
    Abstract: A plate spring-type connection pin is proposed. The connection pin includes: a support pin that has a bending lip portion at an upper portion thereof and a base portion at a lower portion thereof, and is vertically elongated; a plate spring that has an upper probe portion vertically extending adjacent to the lip portion, a lower probe portion disposed at the same height as the base portion, a laterally lying V-shaped portion disposed between the upper probe portion and the lower probe portion, an upper bending portion connecting an upper end of the V-shaped portion and a lower end of the upper probe portion, and a lower bending portion connecting a lower end of the V-shaped portion and an upper end of the lower probe portion; and a bridge that is disposed between the base portion of the support pin and the lower probe portion of the plate spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventor: Sangyang Pak
  • Patent number: 11150269
    Abstract: A probe head includes a probe seat, a first spring probe penetrating through upper, middle and lower dies of the probe seat for transmitting a first test signal, and at least two shorter second spring probes penetrating through the lower die for transmitting a second test signal with higher frequency. Two second spring probes are electrically connected in a way that top ends thereof are abutted against two electrically conductive contacts on a bottom surface of the middle die electrically connected by a connecting circuit therein. The lower die has a communicating space and at least two lower installation holes communicating therewith and each accommodating a second spring probe partially located in the communicating space. The probe head is adapted for concurrent high and medium or low frequency signal tests, meets fine pitch and high frequency testing requirements and prevents probe cards from too complicated circuit design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MPI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hui-Pin Yang, Shang-Jung Hsieh, Yu-Wen Chou, Ching-Fang Yu, Huo-Kang Hsu, Chin-Tien Yang
  • Patent number: 11150296
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for testing and evaluating electrical parameters of electronic circuits. An exemplary method includes providing a device-under-test electrically coupled to a testing apparatus; and determining an optimum value of a first electrical parameter and an optimum value of a second parameter by testing the device-under-test according to a set of first electrical parameter values and a set of second electrical parameter values. The optimum value of the first electrical parameter and the optimum value of the second parameter are determined based on an electrical noise response of the device-under-test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Szu-Chia Huang, Jhih Jie Shao, Tang-Hsuan Chung, Huan Chi Tseng
  • Patent number: 11150112
    Abstract: An electronic sensor includes a signal generator configured to output a first excitation signal and a second excitation signal and a variable differential transformer connected to the signal generator to receive the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal. The variable differential transformer may include a primary coil, a first secondary coil connected to the signal generator, a second secondary coil connected to the signal generator, and a core disposed at least partially in a magnetic field generated via the first secondary coil and the second secondary coil and the first excitation signal and the second excitation signal. A phase of an output signal of the primary coil corresponds to a position of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Yuriy O. Khayznikov, Galen Chui, Hai Nguyen, Bhuvan Govindasamy
  • Patent number: 11137434
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an active measuring probe for EMI detection comprising a first connecting member, an impedance element, an amplifier and a second connecting member. The first connecting member is coupled to one terminal of the impedance element and an input terminal of the amplifier. The other terminal of the impedance element is coupled to a ground terminal. The second connecting member is coupled to an output terminal of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: National Applied Research Laboratories
    Inventors: Yin-Cheng Chang, Da-Chiang Chang
  • Patent number: 11137438
    Abstract: A method of testing a self-contained device under test having at least a circuit under test and a power source is provided. The method may include at least temporarily enabling power from the power source to the circuit under test, determining a first voltage across the circuit under test, determining a second voltage across the circuit under test after a test duration, and calculating an average current of the circuit under test based at least partially on the first voltage, the second voltage and the test duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Disruptive Technologies
    Inventor: Bjornar Hernes
  • Patent number: 11137417
    Abstract: A sensor device is provided for testing electrical connections in a DUT using contactless fault detection. The sensor device includes main traces for conducting an RF signal supplied by a signal source; at least one inductor connected to at least one of the main traces; and a slit formed between opposing conductor portions at a tip of the sensor device for sensing open circuits and/or short circuits in portions of the DUT located in a sensing region below the slit, the tip being at an end of the sensor device opposite ends of the main traces connected to the signal source. An electric field, generated by the sensor device in response to the RF signal, substantially concentrates in the slit, enhancing the sensing of the open and/or the short circuits during the contactless fault detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tie Qiu, Andrew Choon Kait Tek, Huang Shaoying
  • Patent number: 11137435
    Abstract: A semiconductor device test system may include a body providing an internal space, in which a test device is loaded, and a cover coupled to the body to cover the internal space. The cover may include a first cover including first openings two-dimensionally arranged and a second cover including second openings two-dimensionally arranged. An arrangement of the first openings may be different from an arrangement of the second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junbae Kim, Yongho Cho
  • Patent number: 11131709
    Abstract: Probe systems for optically probing a device under test (DUT) and methods of operating the probe systems. The probe systems include a probing assembly that includes an optical probe that defines a probe tip and a distance sensor. The probe systems also include a support surface configured to support a substrate, which defines a substrate surface and includes an optical device positioned below the substrate surface. The probe systems further include a positioning assembly configured to selectively regulate a relative orientation between the probing assembly and the DUT. The probe systems also include a controller programmed to control the operation of the probe systems. The methods include methods of operating the probe systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph George Frankel, Kazuki Negishi, Michael E. Simmons, Eric Robert Christenson, Daniel Rishavy