Abstract: A test system for testing memory modules uses vertically-mounted personal computer (PC) motherboards. Many test adaptor boards that contain test sockets for testing memory modules are mounted horizontally across a test bench. Each test adaptor board connects to a motherboard that tests the memory modules in the test sockets. The motherboard is mounted below and perpendicularly to the test adaptor board. The motherboard is modified to extend the memory bus to edge contact pads along an edge of the motherboard. An edge socket on the test adaptor board mates with the edge contact pads to make electrical connection. A robotic arm inserts a memory module into the test socket, allowing the vertically-mounted motherboard to execute programs to test the memory module.

Abstract: An extender card is plugged into a memory module socket on a personal computer (PC) motherboard. The extender card has a test socket that receives a memory module under test. The extender card has an intercepting EEPROM chip that receives device-select lines from the motherboard. One of the device-select lines from the motherboard to a module EEPROM chip on the memory module is blocked by the extender card and altered so that the intercepting EEPROM chip is read by the motherboard rather than the module EEPROM chip. A memory configuration is read from the intercepting EEPROM chip. The memory module is tested by the motherboard using the configuration from the intercepting EEPROM chip on the extender card. The module EEPROM chip is then programmed with the configuration by altering the intercepted device-select address to select the module EEPROM chip and not the intercepting EEPROM chip.

Abstract: An environmental tester for memory modules has an environmental chamber for heating the memory modules being tested. One side of the chamber is a backplane. The memory modules are inserted into sockets on module motherboards, which are inserted into motherboard sockets on the backplane. On the other side of the backplane, card sockets receive pattern-generator cards that are outside the environmental chamber but electrically connected to the module motherboards through the backplane. The pattern-generator cards contain pattern-generators that generate address, data, and control signals that exercise the memory modules. The pattern-generator cards can be cooled while the memory modules in the environmental chamber are heated. Pattern-generator cards can be removed for repair and module motherboards can be removed for inserting new memory modules for testing.

Abstract: An environmental tester for memory modules has an environmental chamber for heating the memory modules being tested. One side of the chamber is a backplane. The memory modules are inserted into sockets on module motherboards, which are inserted into motherboard sockets on the backplane. On the other side of the backplane, card sockets receive pattern-generator cards that are outside the environmental chamber but electrically connected to the module motherboards through the backplane. The pattern-generator cards contain pattern-generators that generate address, data, and control signals that exercise the memory modules. The pattern-generator cards can be cooled while the memory modules in the environmental chamber are heated. Pattern-generator cards can be removed for repair and module motherboards can be removed for inserting new memory modules for testing.

Abstract: An extender card is plugged into a memory module socket on a personal computer (PC) motherboard. The extender card has a test socket that receives a memory module under test. The extender card has an intercepting EEPROM chip that receives device-select lines from the motherboard. One of the device-select lines from the motherboard to a module EEPROM chip on the memory module is blocked by the extender card and altered so that the intercepting EEPROM chip is read by the motherboard rather than the module EEPROM chip. A memory configuration is read from the intercepting EEPROM chip. The memory module is tested by the motherboard using the configuration from the intercepting EEPROM chip on the extender card. The module EEPROM chip is then programmed with the configuration by altering the intercepted device-select address to select the module EEPROM chip and not the intercepting EEPROM chip.

Abstract: A test system for testing memory modules uses vertically-mounted personal computer (PC) motherboards. Many test adaptor boards that contain test sockets for testing memory modules are mounted horizontally across a test bench. Each test adaptor board connects to a motherboard that tests the memory modules in the test sockets. The motherboard is mounted below and perpendicularly to the test adaptor board. The motherboard is modified to extend the memory bus to edge contact pads along an edge of the motherboard. An edge socket on the test adaptor board mates with the edge contact pads to make electrical connection. A robotic arm inserts a memory module into the test socket, allowing the vertically-mounted motherboard to execute programs to test the memory module. The density of vertically-mounted motherboards is 2-4 times higher than with horizontally-mounted motherboards.