Patents by Inventor Eric Hobbs

Eric Hobbs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080042668
    Abstract: A probe card assembly can include a probe head assembly having probes for contacting an electronic device to be tested. The probe head assembly can be electrically connected to a wiring substrate and mechanically attached to a stiffener plate. The wiring substrate can provide electrical connections to a testing apparatus, and the stiffener plate can provide structure for attaching the probe card assembly to the testing apparatus. The stiffener plate can have a greater mechanical strength than the wiring substrate and can be less susceptible to thermally induced movement than the wiring substrate. The wiring substrate may be attached to the stiffener plate at a central location of the wiring substrate. Space may be provided at other locations where the wiring substrate is attached to the stiffener plate so that the wiring substrate can expand and contract with respect to the stiffener plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventors: Benjamin Eldridge, Gary Grube, Eric Hobbs, Gaetan Mathieu, Makarand Shinde, Alexander Slocum, A. Sporck, Thomas Watson
  • Publication number: 20070141743
    Abstract: Systems and methods for depositing a plurality of droplets in a three-dimensional array are disclosed. The array can comprise a first type of droplets disposed to form a support structure and a second type of droplets forming a conductive seed layer on the support structure. A structure material can be electrodeposited onto the seed layer to create a three-dimensional structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: FORMFACTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Gaetan Mathieu, Treliant Fang, Eric Hobbs
  • Publication number: 20070126440
    Abstract: A probe card assembly can comprise a probe head assembly and a wiring substrate. The probe head assembly can comprise a plurality of probes disposed to contact an electronic device disposed on a holder in a test housing. The wiring substrate can include an electrical interface to a test controller and a plurality of electrical wiring composing electrical paths between the electrical interface and ones of the probes, and the wiring substrate can comprise a first portion on which the electrical interface is disposed and a second portion composing the probe head assembly. The second portion of the wiring substrate can be moveable with respect to the first portion of the wiring substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: FORMFACTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Hobbs, Alexander Slocum, Benjamin Eldridge, Keith Breinlinger, Shawn Powell
  • Publication number: 20070126435
    Abstract: Probes of a probe card assembly can be adjusted with respect to an element of the probe card assembly, which can be an element of the probe card assembly that facilitates mounting of the probe card assembly to a test apparatus. The probe card assembly can then be mounted in a test apparatus, and an orientation of the probe card assembly can be adjusted with respect to the test apparatus, such as a structural part of the test apparatus or a structural element attached to the test apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Eldridge, Eric Hobbs, Gaetan Mathieu, Makarand Shinde, Alexander Slocum
  • Publication number: 20060290367
    Abstract: A probe card assembly comprises multiple probe substrates attached to a mounting assembly. Each probe substrate includes a set of probes, and together, the sets of probes on each probe substrate compose an array of probes for contacting a device to be tested. Adjustment mechanisms are configured to impart forces to each probe substrate to move individually each substrate with respect to the mounting assembly. The adjustment mechanisms may translate each probe substrate in an “x,” “y,” and/or “z” direction and may further rotate each probe substrate about any one or more of the forgoing directions. The adjustment mechanisms may further change a shape of one or more of the probe substrates. The probes can thus be aligned and/or planarized with respect to contacts on the device to be tested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Eric Hobbs, Benjamin Eldridge, Lunyu Ma, Gaetan Mathieu, Steven Murphy, Makarand Shinde, Alexander Slocum
  • Publication number: 20060255814
    Abstract: A probe card assembly can include a probe head assembly having probes for contacting an electronic device to be tested. The probe head assembly can be electrically connected to a wiring substrate and mechanically attached to a stiffener plate. The wiring substrate can provide electrical connections to a testing apparatus, and the stiffener plate can provide structure for attaching the probe card assembly to the testing apparatus. The stiffener plate can have a greater mechanical strength than the wiring substrate and can be less susceptible to thermally induced movement than the wiring substrate. The wiring substrate may be attached to the stiffener plate at a central location of the wiring substrate. Space may be provided at other locations where the wiring substrate is attached to the stiffener plate so that the wiring substrate can expand and contract with respect to the stiffener plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: FORMFACTOR
    Inventors: Benjamin Eldridge, Gary Grube, Eric Hobbs, Gaetan Mathieu, Makarand Shinde, Alexander Slocum, A. Sporck, Thomas Watson