Abstract: A fixture assembly is presented. The fixture assembly includes a device interface assembly for mating with a device under test and a tester interface assembly for mating with the device interface assembly on one side and a tester on a second side. In the method and apparatus of the present invention, the device interface assembly includes a probe field specific to a device under test and may be changed to accommodate a different device, without changing the tester interface assembly. The tester interface assembly includes a custom electronic module and a standardized electronic module, which are both coupled to a PCB interface in the tester interface assembly. As such, both standardized and specialized test may be modified and changed without redesigning the tester interface assembly.

Abstract: A novel thin wire connector cable and method for connecting an electrical test instrument to an electrical node of interest sealable within a vacuum chamber of an electrical testing device is presented. The thin wire connector cable includes a thin wire cable with a first end connectable to the test instrument and a second end comprising a connector electrically connectable to the electrical node of interest that lies within the vacuum-sealable chamber. The thin wire cable is routed from the vacuum-sealable chamber to the test instrument in between a flexible vacuum seal and an opening to the vacuum-sealable chamber such that when the vacuum is actuated, the thin wire cable is wedged between the seal and testing device. The thin wire cable is substantially thin enough so as to prevent more than a negligible amount of leakage between the thin wire cable and the flexible vacuum seal, which allows a vacuum to be generated and maintained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a resistive fault in an electrical conductor is presented. The apparatus of the invention includes an oscillating signal generator that applies an oscillating signal to the electrical conductor under test. The apparatus includes a measuring device for measuring the potential between the electrical conductor under test and a reference node. Such measurements are obtained both when the apparatus is disconnected from the electrical conductor under test and when the apparatus is connected to the electrical conductor under test. A difference in the measurements indicates that the connectivity of the electrical conductor is intact, whereas no difference indicates that a resistive fault exists somewhere in the electrical conductor. For greater accuracy, the longitudinal balance of the disconnected apparatus and connected apparatus measurements are calculated to determine connectivity.

Abstract: A fixture assembly (100, 102) is presented. The fixture assembly includes a device interface assembly (102) for mating with a device under test and a tester interface assembly (100) for mating with the device interface assembly (102) on one side and a tester on a second side. In the method and apparatus of the present invention, the device interface assembly (102) includes a probe field specific to a device under test and may be changed to accommodate a different device, without changing the tester interface assembly. The tester interface assembly (100) includes a custom electronic module (400) and a standardized electronic module (410), which are both coupled to a PCB interface (300) in the tester interface assembly (100). As such, both standardized and specialized test may be modified and changed without redesigning the tester interface assembly (100).

Abstract: A circuit board coupon testing method and apparatus. A coupon tester uses a linear actuator to carry a test head and probe(s) for an LCR meter. The linear actuator accurately steps the probe(s) over a coupon of components arranged linearly adjacent an edge of the circuit board to measure the parameters of the component. The coupon tester can be integrated with an in-circuit tester to provide further functionality, with the coupon test being carried out simultaneously with a portion of the in-circuit test such as an unpowered portion of the in-circuit test.

Abstract: A novel thin wire connector cable and method for connecting an electrical test instrument to an electrical node of interest sealable within a vacuum chamber of an electrical testing device is presented. The thin wire connector cable includes a thin wire cable with a first end connectable to the test instrument and a second end comprising a connector electrically connectable to the electrical node of interest that lies within the vacuum-sealable chamber. The thin wire cable is routed from the vacuum-sealable chamber to the test instrument in between a flexible vacuum seal and an opening to the vacuum-sealable chamber such that when the vacuum is actuated, the thin wire cable is wedged between the seal and testing device. The thin wire cable is substantially thin enough so as to prevent more than a negligible amount of leakage between the thin wire cable and the flexible vacuum seal, which allows a vacuum to be generated and maintained.

Abstract: A circuit board coupon testing method and apparatus. A coupon tester uses a linear actuator to carry a test head and probe(s) for an LCR meter. The linear actuator accurately steps the probe(s) over a coupon of components arranged linearly adjacent an edge of the circuit board to measure the parameters of the component. The coupon tester can be integrated with an in-circuit tester to provide further functionality, with the coupon test being carried out simultaneously with a portion of the in-circuit test such as an unpowered portion of the in-circuit test.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for testing serial communications electrical circuit boards which interfaces to a board being tested through a plurality of serial channels. The system contains a plurality of personality modules, each of which can interface directly to a channel. A personality module will perform level shifting, data encoding/decoding, line termination, and clock/framing extraction as needed for a particular serial protocol. The system also contains one or more reconfigurable bit processors which may be connected together in a building block fashion to perform low-level processing on serial data received from or sent to a personality module. One of a plurality of serial test sequencers receives or sends data from/to a reconfigurable bit processor; provides a user programmable means to control the application and reception of test patterns to and from a channel; and interfaces to the user through a system controller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for testing serial communications electrical circuit boards which interfaces to a board being tested through a plurality of serial channels. The system contains a plurality of personality modules, each of which can interface directly to a channel. A personality module will perform level shifting, data encoding/decoding, line termination, and clock/framing extraction as needed for a particular serial protocol. The system also contains one or more reconfigurable bit processors which may be connected together in a building block fashion to perform low-level processing on serial data received from or sent to a personality module. One of a plurality of serial test sequencers receives or sends data from/to a reconfigurable bit processor; provides a user programmable apparatus to control the application and reception of test patterns to and from a channel; and interfaces to the user through a system controller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a serial frame generator which generates serial data which conforms to a user-selected telecommunication protocol. The serial frame generator can be used with a circuit board tester to create test vectors for telecommunications circuits which require serial data input. The serial frame generator is user-adaptable so that serial frame data can be produced for essentially any kind of serial frame protocol.

Abstract: An inductor used to allow in-circuit and functional testing at the same point on a test system. An inductor is used having a saturated state wherein the inductor functions to connect the test system to the device under test wherein when a large direct current passes through the wires it generates a large magnetic field saturating the core of the inductor. Thereafter, small increases or decreases in the current passing through the wires are not affected by the core since the core is already saturated. The inductor also has a not saturated state when the inductor functions to isolate the test system from the device under test in functional testing. The inductor in the not saturated state functions to minimize current flow from the test system and wires to minimize loading effects of the test system on the device under test.

Abstract: An inductor used to allow in-circuit and functional testing at the same point on a test system. A inductor is used having a saturated state wherein the inductor functions to connect the test system to the device under test wherein when a large direct current passes through the wires it generates a large magnetic field saturating the core of the inductor. Thereafter, small increases or decreases in the current passing through the wires are not affected by the core since the core is already saturated. The inductor also has a not saturated state when the inductor functions to isolate the test system from the device under test in functional testing. The inductor in the not saturated state functions to minimize current flow from the test system and wires to minimize loading effects of the test system on the device under test.