Test System With Test Trays and Automated Test Tray Flipper

Abstract

A test system may be provided in which devices under test (DUTs) are loaded into test trays. Test trays may be moved between test stations using a conveyor belt. The test system may include loading equipment for placing test trays on the conveyor belt at desired intervals. Each test tray may be tested using test stations positioned along the conveyor belt. A first group of test stations may be configured to test DUTs in their upright orientation, whereas a second group of test stations may be configured to test DUTs in their inverted orientation. Test tray flipping equipment may be interposed between the first and second groups of test stations. The flipping equipment may include a movable arm configured to receive an incoming tray, grab the tray, lift the tray from the conveyor belt, rotate the tray, and drop off the tray back onto the conveyor belt.

Description

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 61/595,572, filed Feb. 6, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

This relates generally to automation, and more particularly, to automated equipment for use in manufacturing operations such as testing.

Electronic devices are often tested following assembly to ensure that device performance meets design specifications. For example, a device may be tested at a series of test stations to ensure that components and software in the device are operating satisfactorily. At each test station, an operator may couple a device to test equipment using a cable. Following successful testing at all test stations, a device may be shipped to an end user.

The process of attaching and detaching test cable connectors and the manual operations associated with performing tests at test stations can be cumbersome and burdensome to test system operators. If care is not taken, tests may be less accurate and more time consuming than desired.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways of performing manufacturing operations such as testing operations on electronic devices.

SUMMARY

A test system may be provided in which devices under test are loaded into test trays. Test trays in the test system may be tested at test stations. A conveyor belt may be used to move test trays from one test station to another. Each test station may include test equipment for performing desired tests on the devices under test.

The test system may include a first group of test stations configured to test devices oriented in an upright position, a second group of test stations configured to test devices oriented in an inverted position, and test tray flipping equipment interposed between the first and second groups of test stations along the conveyor belt.

The test tray flipping equipment may include a first sensor (e.g., a radio-frequency identification sensor), a second sensor (e.g., a light-based sensor), a flipper arm, and associated computer-controlled positioned for moving the flipper arm. The first sensor may be used to detect a serial number associated with the test trays, whereas the second sensor may be used to determine whether an incoming test tray has been successfully received by the flipper arm.

In response to detecting an incoming test tray that needs to be flipped using the first sensor, the flipper arm may be lowered towards the surface of the conveyor belt to receive the incoming test tray. When the second sensor detects that the test tray has been successfully received within the flipper arm, the flipper arm may latch onto the test tray (e.g., by engaging flipper arm engagement features with corresponding test tray engagement features in the received test tray). While the test tray is latched within the flipper arm, the test tray may be raised to a predetermined height above the conveyor belt. The test tray may then be inverted by rotating the flipper arm about a pivot axis. The test tray may be rotated by 180°, 90°, 270°, 120°, 135°, or by other suitable number of degrees to change the orientation of the test tray under test. The flipper arm may then drop off the inverted test tray onto the conveyor belt and return to a standby position above the conveyor belt.

Further features of the present invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld device of the type that may be manufactured using automated equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld device of the type that may be manufactured using automated equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with input/output devices and wireless communications circuitry in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of manufacturing equipment of the type that may be used in manufacturing an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative device under test, pad extender, and test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of an illustrative device under test, pad extender, and test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a top perspective view of an illustrative test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a bottom perspective view of an illustrative test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5C is a bottom perspective view of an illustrative test tray with an opening to accommodate tests in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5D is a perspective view of an illustrative test tray in which a device under test has been mounted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of test tray flipping equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end view of a device under test grabber arm that has engaged a mating test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an incoming test tray that is detected using a radio-frequency identification sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an incoming test tray that is detected using a light-based sensor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an incoming test tray being received by a movable arm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a test tray being raised by a movable arm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a test tray being flipped by rotating a movable arm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a test tray that has been flipped by a movable arm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a test tray being dropped off by a movable arm in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a movable arm being returned to a standby position after dropping off a flipped test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of illustrative steps for operating a test system of the type shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 17 and 18 are diagrams of suitable movable arm configurations that can be used to flip a test tray in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic devices such as electronic device 10 of FIG. 1A may be manufactured using automated manufacturing equipment. The automated manufacturing equipment may include equipment for assembling device components together to form an electronic device. The automated manufacturing equipment may also include testing systems for evaluating whether devices have been properly assembled and are functioning properly.

Devices such as device 10 of FIG. 1A may be assembled and tested using an automated manufacturing system. The manufacturing system may include one or more stations such as one or more test stations for performing testing operations.

Devices that are being tested in a test system may sometimes be referred to as devices under test (DUTs). Devices under test may be provided to the test stations using a conveyor belt, using robotic arms, or using other loading equipment.

Any suitable device may be tested using test equipment. As an example, device 10 of FIG. 1A may be tested. Device 10 may be a computer monitor with an integrated computer, a desktop computer, a television, a notebook computer, other portable electronic equipment such as a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a media player, a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, an earpiece device, other compact portable devices, or other electronic equipment. In the configuration shown in FIG. 1A, device 10 is a handheld electronic device such as a cellular telephone, media player, navigation system device, or gaming device.

As shown in FIG. 1A, device 10 may include a housing such as housing 12. Housing 12, which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts of housing 12 may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material. In other situations, housing 12 or at least some of the structures that make up housing 12 may be formed from metal elements.

Device 10 may, if desired, have a display such as display 14. Display 14 may be a touch screen that incorporates capacitive touch electrodes or may be insensitive to touch. Display 14 may include image pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electrophoretic display elements, electrowetting display elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable image pixel structures. A cover glass layer may cover the surface of display 14. Openings for buttons such as button 20, openings for speaker ports such as speaker port 22, and other openings may be formed in the cover layer of display 14, if desired.

The central portion of display 14 (i.e., active region 16) may include active image pixel structures. The surrounding rectangular ring-shaped inactive region (region 18) may be devoid of active image pixel structures. If desired, the width of inactive region 18 may be minimized (e.g., to produce a borderless display).

Device 10 may include components such as front-facing camera 24. Camera 24 may be oriented to acquire images of a user during operation of device 10. If desired, a rear-facing camera such as camera 24′ may be formed on the rear surface of housing 12 (as shown in the rear perspective view of device 10 in FIG. 1B). A light source such as light source 25 may also be formed in the rear surface of device 10 and may be used in combination with camera 24′ when capturing images with device 10.

Device 10 may include sensors in portion 26 of inactive region 18. These sensors may include, for example, an infrared-light-based proximity sensor that includes an infrared-light emitter and a corresponding light detector to emit and detect reflected light from nearby objects. The sensors in portion 26 may also include an ambient light sensor for detecting the amount of light that is in the ambient environment for device 10. Other types of sensors may be used in device 10 if desired. The example of FIG. 1A is merely illustrative.

Device 10 may include input-output ports such as port 28. Port 28 may include audio input-output ports, analog input-output ports, digital data input-output ports, or other ports.

Sensors such as the sensors associated with region 26 of FIG. 1A, cameras such as camera 24, buttons such as button 20, and ports such as port 28 may be located on any suitable portion of device housing 12 (e.g., a front housing face such as a display cover glass portion, a rear housing face such as a rear planar housing wall, sidewall structures, etc.).

A schematic diagram of an electronic device such as electronic device 10 is shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, electronic device 10 may include storage and processing circuitry 27. Storage and processing circuitry 27 may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio codec chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc.

Storage and processing circuitry 27 may be used to run software on device 10, such as internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, storage and processing circuitry 27 may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using storage and processing circuitry 27 include internet protocols, wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol, cellular telephone protocols, etc.

Circuitry 27 may be configured to implement control algorithms that control the use of antennas in device 10. For example, to support antenna diversity schemes and MIMO schemes or beam forming or other multi-antenna schemes, circuitry 27 may perform signal quality monitoring operations, sensor monitoring operations, and other data gathering operations and may, in response to the gathered data, control which antenna structures within device 10 are being used to receive and process data. As an example, circuitry 27 may control which of two or more antennas is being used to receive incoming radio-frequency signals, may control which of two or more antennas is being used to transmit radio-frequency signals, may control the process of routing incoming data streams over two or more antennas in device 10 in parallel, etc.

Input/output circuitry 29 may be used to allow data to be supplied to device 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to external devices. Input/output circuitry 29 may include input/output devices 31. Input/output devices 31 may include touch screens, displays without touch sensor capabilities, buttons, joysticks, click wheels, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, speakers, tone generators, vibrators, cameras, sensors, light-emitting diodes and other status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components, data ports, light sensors, motion sensors (accelerometers), capacitance sensors, proximity sensors, etc. A user can control the operation of device 10 by supplying commands through input/output devices 31 and may receive status information and other output from device 10 using the output resources of input/output devices 31.

Wireless communications circuitry 33 may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas, transmission lines, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications).

Wireless communications circuitry 33 may include satellite navigation system receiver circuitry 35, transceiver circuitry such as transceiver circuitry 37 and 39, and antenna circuitry such as antenna circuitry 41. Satellite navigation system receiver circuitry 35 may be used to support satellite navigation services such as United States' Global Positioning System (GPS) (e.g., for receiving satellite positioning signals at 1575 MHz) and/or other satellite navigation systems.

Transceiver circuitry 37 may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications and may handle the 2.4 Bluetooth® communications band. Circuitry 37 may sometimes be referred to as wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver circuitry (to support WiFi® communications) and Bluetooth® transceiver circuitry. Circuitry 33 may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry (sometimes referred to as cellular radio) 39 for handling wireless communications in cellular telephone bands such as bands at 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, and 2100 MHz or other cellular telephone bands of interest.

Examples of cellular telephone standards that may be supported by wireless circuitry 33 and device 10 include: the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) “2G” cellular telephone standard, the Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) cellular telephone standard, the “3G” Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) cellular telephone standard, the “3G” Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA 2000) cellular telephone standard, and the “4G” Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular telephone standard. Other cellular telephone standards may be used if desired. These cellular telephone standards are merely illustrative.

Wireless communications circuitry 33 may include circuitry for other short-range and long-range wireless links if desired. For example, wireless communications circuitry 33 may include wireless circuitry for receiving radio and television signals, paging circuits, etc. In WiFi® and Bluetooth® links and other short-range wireless links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens of hundreds of feet. In cellular telephone links and other long-range links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over thousands of feet or miles.

Wireless communications circuitry 33 may include one or more antennas 41. Antennas 41 may be formed using any suitable antenna type. For example, antennas 41 may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, helical antenna structures, hybrids of these designs, etc. Different types of antennas may be used for different bands and combinations of bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used in forming a local wireless link antenna and another type of antenna may be used in forming a remote wireless link antenna.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an illustrative system of the type that may be used for manufacturing operations such as device testing. As shown in FIG. 3, system 30 may include one or more stations such as test stations 36. In general, test system 30 may include automated equipment that is used in loading and unloading devices under test, in conveying devices under test between test stations, and in performing tests and maintaining a database of test results.

Device under test 10 may, if desired, be installed in a test tray such as tray 32. Tray 32 may be configured to receive one or more devices under test. For example, tray 32 may have multiple slots, each of which is configured to receive a corresponding device under test. If desired, tray 32 may be configured to receive only a single device under test.

Device 10 may be installed in test tray 32 manually or using automated equipment. To facilitate manual installation, test tray 32 may include features to facilitate human manipulation. For example, test tray 32 may include features that help an operator open and close clamps or other device holding features in test tray 32. Device under test 10 that is mounted in test tray 32 may be conveyed between test stations 36 using a conveyor belt such as conveyor belt 38 (e.g., a belt that moves in direction 40). DUT 10 may be tested using at least some of test stations 36 as DUT 10 travels down conveyor belt 38.

It may be desirable to regulate the rate at which devices under test are placed on conveyor 38 in system 30. Test system 30 may include loading equipment such as loading equipment 200 configured to place test trays 32 on conveyor belt 38 so that test trays 32 are not spaced too closely or too far apart from one another. With this type of arrangement, test tray 32 may serve as an interface between DUT 10 and loading equipment 200. Test tray 32 may, for example, be more robust than DUT 10, may have engagement features that are configured to mate with loading equipment 200, may have an identification number that facilitates tracking, and may have other features that facilitate loading of DUT 10 onto conveyor belt 38.

Each test station 36 may, for example, include test equipment for performing one or more tests on device under test 10. For example, a first type of test station 36 may have equipment for testing a display in DUT 10. A second type of test station 36 may have equipment for testing an audio component in DUT 10. Yet another type of test station 36 may have equipment for testing light sensors in DUT 10. Yet another type of test station 36 may have equipment for testing wireless communications circuitry in DUT 10. If desired, test system 30 may include more than one test station of the same type arranged along conveyor belt 38 so that multiple DUTs can be tested in parallel.

In the example of FIG. 3, test system 30 may include a first group of test stations 50 that are positioned along a first portion of conveyor 38 and a second group of test stations 52 that are positioned along a second portion of conveyor 38. The first group of test stations may include test stations 36 with equipment for testing DUT 10 that is mounted in test tray 32 in an upright orientation (i.e., for testing input-output devices and/or user interface components accessible from the front face of DUT 10). The second group of test stations may include test stations 36 with equipment for testing DUT 10 that is mounted in test tray 32 in an inverted (or flipped) orientation (i.e., for testing input-output devices and/or user interface components accessible from the rear face of DUT 10).

Test system 30 may include test tray flipping equipment such as test tray flipping equipment 202 interposed between the first group of test stations (i.e., test stations for testing DUT 10 in test tray 32 in the upright position) and the second group of test stations (i.e., test stations for testing DUT 10 in test tray 32 in the flipped position) along conveyor 38. When a test tray 32 passes test tray flipping equipment 202, equipment 202 may use a computer-controlled movable arm to pick up the test tray from conveyor belt 38 (as indicated by arrow 204), may flip the test tray by rotating the movable arm 180°, and may drop off the inverted test tray back onto conveyor belt (as indicated by arrow 206). This example is merely illustrative. If desired, the test tray may be rotated by less than or more than 180°. Test tray flipping equipment 202 may therefore sometimes be referred to as a test tray rotator, a test tray flipper, or a test tray inverter. Test trays 32 that are flipped using equipment 202 may proceed down the conveyor belt to be tested using test stations 36 in the second group of test stations. If desired, test system 30 may include more than one flipper 202 for inverting the orientation of devices under test installed within respective test trays.

Test stations 36 may provide test results to computing equipment such as test host 42 (e.g., one or more networked computers) for processing. Test host 42 may maintain a database of test results, may be used in controlling the rate at which loading equipment 200 loads test trays onto conveyor belt 38 (e.g., by sending commands via path 41), may be used in sending test commands to test stations 36 (e.g., by sending commands via path 43), may track individual trays and devices under test as the trays and devices pass through system 30, and may perform other control operations.

FIG. 4A is a diagram showing how device under test 10 may be received within test tray 32. As shown in FIG. 4A, test tray 32 may have sidewalls 100 that are configured to receive a device under test such as DUT 10. Device under test 10 may have one or more connector ports such as port 28 (see, e.g., FIG. 1).

A pad extender such as pad extender 144 may have a mating connector such as plug 146. Plug 146 may be configured to mate with a connector in port 28 when DUT 10 has been mounted in test tray 32 and when pad extender 144 has been moved towards DUT 10 in direction 148.

Following insertion of DUT 10 into test tray 32 and following insertion of plug connector 146 of pad extender 144 into connector 28 of DUT 10, test tray 32 of FIG. 4A may appear as shown in FIG. 4B. Pad extender 144 may contain signal paths that connect pins in connector 28 to corresponding contacts 62 on pad extender 144. Contacts 62 may be configured to mate with corresponding contacts coupled to tester 44 and/or test host 42 during testing in system 30.

Because DUT 10 is connected to test contacts 62 in test tray 32 using pad extender 144 associated with test tray 32, it is not necessary to repeatedly connect and disconnect device under test 10 from cabling at each test station 36. Rather, connections between DUT 10 and the test equipment at each test station 36 by may be formed by coupling contacts 62 in test tray 32 to corresponding contacts (e.g., spring-loaded pins) in each test station 36. By minimizing the number of times that cables need to be connected and disconnected from each device under test, the life of tester cables and connectors may be extended.

The use of test tray 32 and loader 46 may allow DUT 10 to be placed accurately within test stations 36 (e.g., with an accuracy of +/−0.1 mm or better, as an example). Test tray 32 may shield device under test 10 from scratches and other damage during testing. In general, DUT 10 may be received within test tray 32 in either an upwards facing configuration in which display 14 faces outwards away from tray 32 or a downwards facing configuration in which display 14 faces downwards onto the base of test tray 32.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of one suitable embodiment of test tray 32. As shown in FIG. 5A, tray 32 may be provided with engagement features such as holes 160. Engagement features such as holes 160 may be formed on one, two, three, or all four sides of test tray 32 and may be configured to mate with corresponding engagement features on automated test equipment such as loader 200 and flipper 202 (FIG. 3). For example, holes 160 may be formed on opposing ends of test tray 32 such as ends 32A and 32B of test tray 32. The example of FIG. 5A in which engagement features 160 have been implemented in the form of holes is merely illustrative. Engagement features 160 may be implemented in the form of slots, notches, dimples, openings, recesses, protrusions, or other features that allow test equipment to engage with test tray 32.

As an example, automated flipper 202 may include a computer-controlled arm (sometimes referred to as a test tray grabber) having engagement pins that are configured to engage simultaneously with ends 32A and 32B, allowing flipper 202 to pick up, hold, rotate, and/or transport device 10 to a desired location. In the example of FIG. 5A, test tray 32 is shown with four engagement holes on each end. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, tray 32 may include less than four engagement holes, more than four engagement holes, more than six engagement holes, more than 10 engagement holes, etc.

Tray 32 may be formed using non-marring material such as acetyl plastic, Delrin® (a polyoxymethylene plastic), other plastics, or other suitable non-marring materials. The use of non-marring materials may help avoid scratches or other damage to device under test 10 when device under test 10 is placed within test tray 32. If desired, a layer of material 156 may be formed on portions of test tray 32 such base portion 48. As an example, material 156 may be formed using the same material that is used to form tray 32. As another example, material 156 may be formed using elastomeric material such as rubberized foam. Material 156 may, in general, be formed using any suitable non-marring material.

Test tray 32 may be provided with guide structures configured to accurately position device under test 10 in a desired location within recessed portion 154 of tray 32. As shown in FIG. 5A, guide structures such as guide surfaces 150 may be used as reference points for determining the location of a device under test relative to test tray 32 and/or test station 36. For example, a device under test may be positioned in a known location relative to test tray 32 by registering the device under test against guide surfaces 150. A guide structure on the end of tray 32 may have an exposed end guide surface such as guide surface 150A. Guide structures on the side of tray 32 may have exposed side guide surfaces such as guide surfaces 150B. Guide surfaces such as guide surfaces 150A and 150B may sometimes be referred to as datums.

FIG. 5B is a bottom perspective view of one suitable embodiment of test tray 32. As shown in FIG. 5B, holes, openings, or gaps such as gaps 80 may be formed in sidewalls 100 of test tray 32. Gaps 80 in sidewalls 100 may allow portions of device 10 to be exposed by test tray 32. For example, structures such as buttons, switches, ports (e.g., a subscriber identity module (SIM) card port to authorize cellular telephone service), and other input-output devices may be formed in a housing sidewall of device 10. If desired, gaps 80 may be formed in portions of sidewalls 100 that are adjacent to (e.g., aligned with) these structures. This type of configuration may ensure that structures such as buttons or switches in device 10 are not unintentionally actuated or otherwise unnecessarily obstructed by test tray 32. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, sidewalls 100 of test tray 32 may be free of gaps.

Test tray 32 may have one or more openings in base 48 to facilitate test measurements on the rear face of DUT 10. For example, as shown in the bottom perspective view of FIG. 5C, openings such as opening 82 may be formed in base 48 and may be configured to align with one or more input-output devices in device under test 10 when device 10 is installed in tray 32. Test equipment at a test station may communicate with a component in device 10 via opening 82. In the example of FIG. 5C, opening 82 has an inverted cone shape to facilitate testing of rear-face camera 24′ and light source 25 in device 10 (FIG. 1). During testing, a light signal from a test light source may be transmitted through opening 82 to reach camera 24′ in DUT 10, and/or a light-emitting diode flash from light source 25 in device 10 may emit light through opening 82 to reach a light sensor at a test station. Other examples of components in device 10 that may be tested using openings such as opening 82 in test tray 32 include ambient light sensors, light-based proximity sensors, capacitive sensors, light-emitting diodes (e.g., for status indicators), display components, magnetic sensors, or other electrical components.

When device 10 is installed in test tray 32, some components in device 10 may face away from test tray 32 (e.g., components formed on a front side of device 10) and some components in device 10 may face towards test tray 32 (e.g., components formed on a back side of device 10). If desired, openings such as openings 82 may only be formed in portions of base 48 that are aligned with components in device 10 that face towards test tray 32.

FIG. 5D is a perspective view of test tray 32 after device under test 10 has been inserted into test tray 32. As shown in FIG. 5D, test tray 32 may have clamps 164 for holding device under test 10 within test tray 32. The inner surfaces of clamps 164 may serve as guide surfaces 150 (FIG. 5A) or, if desired, may be separate structures adjacent to guide surfaces 150.

Test tray 32 may have one or more notches or slots such as slot 170. Slot 170 may be configured to receive pad extender 144. If desired, pad extender 144 may be retained within slot 170 when device 10 is installed in test tray 32 (e.g., when connector 146 of pad extender 144 is connected to connector port 28 in device 10) and when device 10 is not installed in test tray 32 (e.g., when test tray 32 is empty).

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing how flipper 202 may include a movable arm for inverting an incoming test tray 32. As shown in FIG. 6, flipper 202 may include a test tray flipper fixture such as fixture 210, device under test sensors such as sensors 212 and 214 that are attached to fixture 210, and a movable arm 218 (sometimes referred to herein as a flipper arm). Sensor 212 may be a radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensor configured to identify a serial number associated with an incoming tray 32. Based on the identified serial number, test host 42 may be used to determine whether DUT 10 that is mounted within the incoming tray needs to be flipped.

Sensor 214 may (as an example) be a laser-based distance sensor or other types of optical sensor that is used to detect whether an incoming tray 32 has been successfully received within arm 218. For example, sensor 214 may detect that a tray 32 is being conveyed towards arm 218 passing detection plane 216. If sensor 214 detects that tray 32 has completely moved past sensor detection plane 216 at a later point in time, DUT 10 has successfully been received within arm 218. If sensor 214 detects that tray 32 has not yet completely moved past detection plane 216, arm 218 will remain in a receiving position until DUT 10 is successfully received within arm 218.

Flipper 202 may have computer-controlled positioners for moving arm 18. Arm 218 may be moved vertically to pick up test trays 32. For example, arm 218 of may be lowered in direction 240 when it is desired to use arm 218 to pick up a new test tray 32 from conveyor belt 38. In the example of FIG. 6, flipper 202 may use a screw-based lifting mechanism or other lifting mechanisms to vertically lift and lower arm 218. Flipping equipment 202 may have an arm extender plate such as plate 226. Plate 226 may have a threaded hole such as hole 225. Computer-controlled motor 230 may be used to rotate screw 228 about rotational axis 234 in direction 232. By rotating screw 228, motor 230 may be used to raise and lower plate 226 and therefore arm 218 vertically towards or away from the surface of conveyor belt 38.

Arm 218 may include a contractible member such as arm member 220 and associated computer-controlled air-driven or motor-driven actuators such as actuators 242 (see, e.g., FIG. 7). Member 220 of arm 218 may have engagement features such as pins 160′. Actuators 242 may be used to extend and retract pins 160′ in member 220. As shown in the cross-sectional end view of FIG. 7, actuators 242 may insert pins 160′ into holes 160 in test tray 32 so that test tray 32 may be picked up from conveyor belt 38.

Arm 218 may also include air-driven or motor-driven actuators for rotating arm member 220. For example, when a test tray is received within arm 218 and when arm is raised to a sufficient height above conveyor belt 38, arm member 220 may be rotated about axis 224 (sometimes referred to as a pivot axis) in direction 222 so that the test tray is flipped from its upright orientation to an inverted orientation (see, FIG. 6).

FIGS. 8-15 show different snapshots in time illustrating operations involved in flipping an incoming test tray 32. An incoming test tray may initially be detected using radio-frequency identification sensor 212 (e.g., sensor 212 may identify a serial number associated with the incoming test tray), as shown in FIG. 8. Arm 218 may initially be configured in a raised standby position.

Based on the serial number of the incoming test tray, test host 42 may determine whether the test tray needs to be flipped using flipper 202. If test host 42 determines that the test tray needs to be flipped, arm 218 may be lowered towards the surface of conveyor 38 to a receiving position using computer-controlled position 300 (e.g., using the screw-based lifting mechanism described in connection with FIG. 6). Meanwhile, sensor 214 may be used to detect for the presence of test tray 32 (see, FIG. 9).

Sensor 214 may be used to detect whether the test tray has been successfully received by arm 218. For example, if sensor 214 detects that test tray has moved entirely past plane 216, the test tray has been successfully received within arm 218 (see, FIG. 10). If, however, sensor 214 detects that the test tray has yet to clear plane 216, then arm 218 may remain in the lowered receiving position until the test tray moves completely past plane 216.

When the test tray is successfully received within arm 218, arm engagement features such as pins 160′ may be inserted into corresponding test tray engagement features such as holes 160 (FIG. 7) so that the test tray is securely latched within arm 218. In this engaged state, arm 218 may be raised vertically to a predetermined height H above the surface of conveyor belt 38 using positioner 300 (see, FIG. 11). The height H to which the test tray is raised may be sufficiently high so that the test tray can be freely rotated about axis 224 without contacting the surface of conveyor belt 38.

When the test tray is raised to predetermined height H above conveyor belt 38 with arm 218, member 220 may be rotated about axis 224 in the direction of arrow 302 (see, FIG. 12). The test tray may be rotated by 180° so that DUT 10 is in an inverted (or flipped) orientation (see, FIG. 13).

The test tray may then be lowered down to the surface of conveyor belt 38 for drop-off (see, FIG. 14). In particular, the flipper arm engagement structures (e.g., pins 160′) may disengage from the test tray engagement structures (e.g., holes 160) to release test tray from arm 218. After drop-off, the flipped test tray may proceed down conveyor belt 38 for testing with the second group of test stations 52, and arm 218 may return to its standby position in anticipation for another incoming test tray (see, FIG. 15).

FIG. 16 shows illustrative steps involved in operating test tray flipping equipment 202 of FIG. 6. At step 400, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader (e.g., sensor 212 in FIG. 6) that is built into flipper 202 may be used to monitor incoming test trays 32 for RFIDs. Each test tray 32 may contain an RFID tag (e.g., a tag that wirelessly transmits a corresponding tray identifier to RFID reading equipment in system 30). If the RFID reader determines that the tray ID for a test tray matches previously received instructions (e.g., if test host 42 determines that incoming test tray 32 needs to be flipped), flipper arm 218 may be lowered down to the surface of conveyor 38 to receive test tray 32 (step 402). Other ways of uniquely identifying each incoming test tray may be used, if desired.

At step 404, light sensors (e.g., sensor 214 of FIG. 6) that are configured to monitor the entrance to arm 218 may detect the presence of test tray 32 and may then, as tray 32 moves along conveyor 38, detect the absence of test tray 32. This indicates that tray 32 has entered arm 218 (sometimes referred to as a test tray grabber), so the pins on arm 218 (i.e., the grabber mechanism formed by pins 160′ and actuators 242 of FIG. 7) may be extended into mating holes 160 in test tray 32 to grab test tray 32 (step 406). Additional light sensors built into arm 218 may be used to confirm that test tray 32 has been satisfactorily grabbed by arm 218. Pins 160′ may extend into two or more holes 160 in test tray 32, four or more holes 160 in test tray 32, or any other suitable number of holes 160.

At step 408, arm 218 may be raised to a predetermined height above the surface of conveyor belt 38. At step 410, arm member 220 may be rotated by 180° so that the test tray is flipped from an upright orientation to a capsized orientation. This is merely illustrative. If desired, the test tray may be rotated by 90°, 120°, 135°, 223°, 270°, or by other suitable amounts to change the orientation of the test tray under test. If desired, light sensors associated with arm 218 may confirm whether arm 218 has been fully rotated.

At step 412, arm 218 may be lowered down to the surface of conveyor belt 38. At step 414, arm 218 may release test tray 32 (e.g., by disengaging pins 160′ from holes 160 in tray 32) to drop off test tray 32 onto conveyor belt 38. Additional light sensors built into arm 218 may be used to confirm that test tray 32 has been satisfactorily released from arm 218.

At step 416, arm 218 may return to its raised standby position in anticipation for flipping another incoming test tray (see, e.g., FIG. 15). The steps of FIG. 16 are merely illustrative and do not serve to limit the scope of the present invention. If desired, other steps may be performed when inverting the orientation of test tray 32, flipper 202 may include other suitable equipment for handling and rotating test tray 32, etc.

In another suitable arrangement (see, e.g., FIG. 17), flipper 202 may include arm 218 configured to flip test tray 32 about rotational axis 500 in the direction of arrow 502 without having to raise arm 218 above the surface of conveyor belt 38. This configuration may require sufficient clearance within flipper arm 218 to provide free space for test tray 32 to be rotated without being obstructed by peripheral test structures.

In another suitable arrangement (see, e.g., FIG. 18), flipper may include arm 218 configured to rotate test tray 32 about a rotational axis 510 that is aligned with the center of test tray 32. In the example of FIG. 18, arm member 220 may be raised to a height H′ above the surface of conveyor 38 prior to and after rotating test tray 32, where height H′ is at least greater than half the width W of test tray 32. Height H′ may be substantially less than the predetermined height H as described in connection with FIGS. 11-13.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Claims

1. A method for using a test system to test a device under test, wherein the test system includes a conveyor belt, the method comprising:

with a flipper arm, picking up the device under test from the conveyor belt;

while the flipper arm is holding the device under test, inverting device under test by rotating the flipper arm; and

with the flipper arm, dropping off the inverted device under test onto the conveyor belt.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the device under test comprises a handheld electronic device.

3. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

while the flipper arm is holding the device under test, raising the device under test to a predetermined height above the conveyor belt before inverting the device under test.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the device under test is placed within a test tray, and wherein picking up the device under test comprises picking up the test tray from the conveyor belt with the flipper arm.

5. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the device under test is placed within a test tray having test tray engagement features, wherein the flipper arm includes flipper arm engagement features, and wherein picking up the device under test comprises mating the flipper arm engagement features with the test tray engagement features to hold the test tray within the flipper arm.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the flipper arm engagement features comprises pins, wherein the test tray engagement features comprise holes, and wherein mating the flipper arm engagement features with the test tray engagement features comprises inserting the pins in the flipper arm into corresponding holes in the test tray.

7. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the device under test on the conveyor belt with a sensor, wherein picking up the device under test from the conveyor belt comprises lowering the flipper arm to receive the device under test in response to detection of the device under test using the sensor.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the device under test is placed within a test tray, wherein the sensor comprises a radio-frequency identification sensor, and wherein detecting the incoming device under test on the conveyor belt comprises identifying a serial number associated with the test tray with the radio-frequency identification sensor.

9. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the device under test is placed within a test tray, wherein the flipper arm includes flipper arm engagement features, and wherein the test tray includes test tray engagement features, the method comprising:

detecting whether the device under test has been successfully received by the flipper arm with a sensor, wherein picking up the device under test from the conveyor belt comprises engaging the flipper arm engagement features with the test tray engagement features in response to detecting that the device under test has been successfully received by the flipper arm.

10. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the test system further includes a computer-controlled actuator, and wherein inverting device under test comprises rotating the flipper arm with the computer-controlled actuator while the flipper arm is holding the device under test.

11. A method for using a test system to test a device under test, wherein the test system includes a conveyor belt, the method comprising:

with a first group of test equipment stationed along the conveyor belt, testing the device under test when the device under test is oriented in an upright position on the conveyor belt;

with a second group of test equipment stationed along the conveyor belt, testing the device under test when the device under test is oriented in an inverted position on the conveyor belt; and

with flipper equipment interposed between the first and second groups of test equipment along the conveyor belt, flipping the device under test from the upright position to the inverted position.

12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein the device under test comprises a handheld electronic device.

13. The method defined in claim 11, further comprising:

installing the device under test within a test tray.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the flipper equipment includes a flipper arm, and wherein flipping the device under test comprises:

with the flipper arm, receiving the test tray;

with the flipper arm, latching onto the received test tray; and

while the test tray is latched to the flipper arm, inverting the test tray by rotating the flipper arm so that the device is under test is flipped from its upright position to its inverted position.

15. The method defined in claim 14, further comprising:

with a first sensor associated with the flipper equipment, detecting the test tray on the conveyor belt;

in response to detection of the test tray with the first sensor, lowering the flipper arm to receive the test tray; and

with a second sensor associated with the flipper equipment, detecting whether the device under test has been successfully received by the flipper arm, wherein latching onto the received test tray comprises latching onto the received test tray in response to detecting that the test tray has been successfully received by the flipper arm.

16. Apparatus configured to flip a test tray containing a device under test on a conveyor belt, comprising:

a flipper arm configured to pick up the test tray from the conveyor belt;

a pivot about which the flipper arm is configured to rotate and invert the test tray; and

an actuator configured to lower the flipper arm and the inverted test tray to the conveyor belt.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 16, wherein the device under test comprises a handheld electronic device.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 16, wherein the test tray includes test tray engagement features, and wherein the flipper arm includes flipper arm engagements features configured to mate with test tray engagement features.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 16, further comprising:

a radio-frequency identification sensor configured to identify a serial number associated with the test tray.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 16, further comprising:

an optical sensor configured to detect whether the device under test has been successfully received by the flipper arm.