Automated test equipment for combined signals

An automated test equipment for testing devices under test is configured to combine different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to obtain a combined signal; and to extract individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic devices usually comprise electronic circuitry carrying a large number of electronic components such as semiconductors, diodes or the like. In order to proof the layout and the desired behavior of the electronic device, i.e. to check whether a certain input generates a desired output, electronic devices are tested. However, due to the high complexity of modern electronic devices, testing is costly in terms of time and money. Thus, electronic devices may be tested automatically by means of an automated test equipment.

The devices that are to be tested, which devices are also referred to as Devices Under Test or DUT, may be tested individually, whereas each device under test can be connected to multiple pins in order to process multiple signals. These scenarios are referred to as multi-pin tests. In order to further expedite the testing process, a plurality of devices under test may be provided. Such a scenario is referred to as multi-site test.

Multi-site or multi-pin tests may use one automated test equipment resource per signal pin that is to be measured. If the number of available resources is smaller than the number of signals to be measured, the measurements have to be conducted sequentially by switching the available resources to the respective signals.

FIG. 1Ashows such a conventional test site100, wherein one automated test equipment resource101,102,103is used for measuring each one of the signals104,105,106. Even though this kind of automated testing may be expensive due to the raised amount of automated test equipment resources101,102,103that may be used, it provides for a fast testing because all measurements107,108,109can be conducted in parallel, as shown inFIG. 1B.

FIG. 2Ashows a further conventional test site200, wherein one single automated test equipment resource204is used for measuring a plurality of signals201,202,203. A switch205is used to select a respective one of the plurality of signals201,202,203at a time. Accordingly, all signals201,202,203are measured sequentially by switching from one signal to the next. Even though this kind of automated testing may only provide for a slow testing because all measurements206,207,208are conducted sequentially, as shown inFIG. 2B, it is cheap since only one automated test equipment resource204may be used.

SUMMARY

An embodiment may have an automated test equipment for testing devices under test, configured to generate a combined signal including a plurality of different signal components, and to provide the combined signal to multiple pins of a single device under test or to pins of a plurality of devices under test.

Another embodiment may have an automated test equipment for testing devices under test, configured to combine different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to acquire a combined signal; and to extract individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal.

According to another embodiment, a method for testing devices under test may have the steps of: combining different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to acquire a combined signal; and extracting individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal.

Another embodiment may have a non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method for testing devices under test, wherein the method may have the steps of: combining different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to acquire a combined signal; and extracting individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal, when said computer program is run by a computer.

According to a first aspect, an automated test equipment for testing devices under test is provided, wherein the automated test equipment is configured to generate a combined signal comprising a plurality of different signal components. The inventive automated test equipment is further configured to provide the combined signal to multiple pins of a single device under test or to pins of a plurality of devices under test. Thus, it is possible to provide a combined signal comprising several different signal components to a plurality of pins of a device under test, or to a plurality of devices under test, at the same time. The combined signal may comprise signal components having distinctly different signal characteristics. The automated test equipment may, for instance, be configured to combine an analog signal and a digital signal, or a time-continuous signal and a time-varying signal into a combined signal. Since the combined signal may be present at each pin of the available devices under test, all of the signal components contained in the combined signal may be fed simultaneously into the available devices under test and, thus, all of the available devices under test may be tested simultaneously. The automated test equipment may be configured to control the devices under test such that, at a given time, only selected ones of the signal components contained in the combined signal may be fed into the devices under test.

According to a second aspect, an automated test equipment for testing devices under test is provided, wherein the automated test equipment is configured to combine different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to obtain a combined signal. The automated test equipment is further configured to extract individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal. Thus, it is possible to combine different individual output signals into one common combined signal that may be fed into one single automated test equipment tester resource. The tester resource may measure the combined signal and provide a result for each of the individual signals contained in the combined signal. Stated differently, the tester resource may measure all of the individual output signals contained in the combined signal at the same time. For that, the automated tester equipment is configured to extract the individual output signals from the combined signal. The individual output signals may have distinctly different signal characteristics. For example, the automated test equipment may combine a digital signal and an analog signal, or a time-constant signal and a time-varying signal into a single common combined signal. Furthermore, the automated tester equipment is also able to separate these different individual signals from each other during extraction of the individual signals from the combined signal. Accordingly, it is possible to measure a plurality of different individual output signals in one single shot, i.e. at substantially the same time, while using only one single automated test equipment tester resource since all of the available individual output signals may be combined into one single common combined signal that is fed into the tester resource. Thus, the automated test equipment according to the present invention provides for a cheap and a fast automated testing.

According to a third aspect, a method for testing devices under test is provided, wherein the method comprises combining different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to obtain a combined signal. The method further comprises extracting individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal.

According to a fourth aspect, computer programs are provided, wherein each of the computer programs is configured to implement the above-described method when being executed on a computer or signal processor, so that the above-described method is implemented by one of the computer programs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

WhileFIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A and 2Bhave been described above with respect to conventional technology, a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference toFIG. 3.

FIG. 3shows an automated test equipment300for testing devices under test301,302,303. The automated test equipment300is configured to generate a combined signal304. The combined signal304comprises a plurality of different signal components305,306,307. The different signal components may be, for instance, a first signal component305, e.g. at a first frequency or frequency band f1, a second signal component306, e.g. at a second frequency or frequency band f2, and a third signal component307, e.g. at a third frequency or frequency band f3.

The automated test equipment300may further comprise an automated test equipment output resource309for generating the combined signal304.

The devices under test301,302,303may comprise one or more input pins. For example, the first device under test301may comprise one pin312, the second device under test302may comprise two pins310,311and a nthdevice under test303may comprise one pin313. However, a device under test may comprise more than one or more than two pins.

The automated test equipment300is configured to provide the combined signal304to multiple pins310,311of a single device under test302. Additionally or alternatively, the automated test equipment300is configured to provide the combined signal304to pins310,311,312,313of a plurality of devices under test301,302,303.

The automated test equipment300may comprise a node320which is adapted to distribute the combined signal304to one or more of the pins310,311,312,313of the devices under test301,302,303. In the example shown inFIG. 3, the combined signal304is distributed to each of the pins310,311,312,313. The combined signal304may be distributed to the pins310,311,312,313at substantially the same time, i.e. each of the pins310,311,312,313may receive the combined signal304at substantially the same time. However, it may also be possible that the node320distributes the combined signal304to the pins310,311,312,313of the respective device under test301,302,303serially, i.e. at different or subsequent points of time.

Each of the devices under test301,302,303may generate one or more output signals314,315,316,317. For example, the first device under test301may generate an output signal314, the second device under test302may generate two output signals315,316, and a nthdevice under test303may generate an output signal317. The generated output signals314,315,316,317may depend on the respective input signals or input signal components305,306,307, respectively.

The signal components that may be contained in the combined signal304may have different signal characteristics. The embodiment depicted inFIG. 3may show three different signal components305,306,307, wherein each of the signals may comprise a different signal characteristic, e.g. different frequencies f1, f2and f3.

Furthermore, different signal types may be combined into the combined signal304, for example a digital signal and an analog signal, and/or a time-constant signal and a time-varying signal.

The automated test equipment300may be configured to combine such different signal components into a single common combined signal304and to provide this combined signal304to the input pins310,311,312,313of the available devices under test301,302,303.

With reference toFIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, the automated test equipment300is configured to control the devices under test301,302,303such that, at a given time t1, t2, t3, different devices under test301,302,303evaluate the same signal component305,306,307of the combined signal304. In an embodiment, the automated test equipment300may be configured to control the devices under test301,302,303such that, at a given time t1, t2, t3, each or all of the available devices under test301,302,303evaluate the same signal component305,306,307of the combined signal304.

As described above with reference toFIG. 3, the combined signal304may comprise a plurality of different signal components305,306,307which may have a different signal characteristic or which may be of a different type of signal.

FIG. 4Ashows three devices under test301,302,303at a given time t1, wherein the three devices under test301,302,303are fed with the combined signal304. At the time t1, the automated test equipment300controls the three devices under test301,302,303such that each of the three devices under test301,302,303evaluates the same signal component305of the combined signal304. In other words, at the time t1, each of the available devices under test301,302,303receives the same signal component305contained in the combined signal304.

Stated differently, at the time t1the devices under test301,302,303are controlled such that only the first signal component305is selected and evaluated by the respective device under test301,302,303, even though the combined signal304which comprises all of the signal components305,306,307is received at the respective pins310,311,312,313of the devices under test301,302,303. Thus, the remaining signal components306,307that are not evaluated at the time t1, but which may also be present in the combined signal304, are depicted inFIG. 4Ain dashed lines.

Stated yet differently, even though the combined signal304may comprise a plurality of different signal components305,306,307, and even though all signal components may be received at the pins310,311,312,313, the devices under test301,302,303are controlled such that only one of the signal components, namely the first signal component305, is selectively fed into the respective device under test301,302,303at the time t1. Accordingly, at the time t1, each one of the devices under test301,302,303evaluates the same signal component, namely the first signal component305.

FIG. 4Bshows the same three devices under test301,302,303at a subsequent point of time, i.e. at the time t2following t1. In this case, the devices under test301,302,303are controlled such that only the second signal component, i.e. signal component306is selectively received at the pins310,311,312,313and fed into the respective device under test301,302,303. Accordingly, at the time t2, each one of the devices under test301,302,303evaluates the same signal component, namely the second signal component306, whereas the first and third signal components305,307are not evaluated at t2and are, thus, depicted in dashed lines.

FIG. 4Cshows the same three devices under test301,302,303at a subsequent point of time, i.e. at the time t3following t2. In this case, the devices under test301,302,303are controlled such that only the third signal component, i.e. signal component307, is selectively received at the pins310,311,312,313and fed into the respective device under test301,302,303. Accordingly, at the time t3, each one of the devices under test301,302,303evaluates the same signal component, namely the third signal component307, whereas the first and second signal components305,306are not evaluated at t3and are, thus, depicted in dashed lines.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5Cshow two devices under test301,302. The first device under test301comprises one input pin312. The second device under test302comprises a first input pin310and a second input pin311. The automated test equipment300is configured to control the devices under test301,302such that, at a given time t1, t2, t3, different devices under test301,302evaluate different signal components305,306,307of the combined signal304. In an embodiment, the automated test equipment300may be configured to control the devices under test301,302such that, at a given time t1, t2, t3, one or more or each one of the available devices under test301,302may evaluate a different signal component305,306,307contained in the combined signal304.

As described above with reference toFIG. 3, the combined signal304may comprise a plurality of different signal components305,306,307.FIG. 5Ashows the two devices under test301,302at a given time t1, wherein both devices under test301,302are fed with the combined signal304at the time t1.

At the time t1, the automated test equipment300controls the two devices under test301,302such that each one of the two devices under test301,302evaluates a different signal component305,306,307of the combined signal304.

In particular, at the time t1the first device under test301is controlled such that only the first signal component305is received at the respective pin312and evaluated by the first device under test301, while the second device under test302is controlled such that only the second signal component306is received at the pin310and evaluated by the second device under test302, and only the third signal component307is received at the pin311and evaluated by the second device under test302. The remaining signal components305,306,307that are received at the respective pins310,311,312but which are not evaluated at the time t1(but which may also be present in the combined signal304) are depicted inFIG. 5Ain dashed lines.

FIG. 5Bshows the same two devices under test301,302at a subsequent point of time, i.e. at the time t2following t1. The devices under test301,302are controlled such that each one of the two devices under test301,302evaluates a different signal component305,306,307of the combined signal304.

In particular, at the time t2the first device under test301is controlled such that only the second signal component306is received at the respective pin312and evaluated by the first device under test301. The second device under test302is controlled such that only the third signal component307is received at the pin310and evaluated by the second device under test302, and only the first signal component305is received at the pin311and evaluated by the second device under test302. The remaining signal components305,306,307that are received at the respective pins310,311,312but which are not evaluated at the time t2(but which may also be present in the combined signal304) are depicted inFIG. 5Bin dashed lines.

FIG. 5Cshows the same two devices under test301,302at a subsequent point of time, i.e. at the time t3following t2. The devices under test301,302are controlled such that each one of the two devices under test301,302evaluates a different signal component305,306,307of the combined signal304.

In particular, at the time t3the first device under test301is controlled such that only the third signal component307is received at the respective pin312and evaluated by the first device under test301. The second device under test302is controlled such that only the first signal component305is received at the pin310and evaluated by the second device under test302, and only the second signal component306is received at the pin311and evaluated by the second device under test302. The remaining signal components305,306,307that are received at the respective pins310,311,312but which are not evaluated at the time t3(but which may also be present in the combined signal304) are depicted inFIG. 5Cin dashed lines.

In other words, the first device under test301may, for instance, receive and evaluate the first signal component305at t1, then the second signal component306at t2, and then the third signal component307at t3. The second device under test302may, for instance, receive and evaluate the second signal component306at t1, then the third signal component307at t2, and then the first signal component305at t3. Accordingly, the order in which the signal components305,306,307are selectively received and evaluated by the respective devices under test301,302may rotate.

It may be possible that the order in which the signal components305,306,307are selectively received and evaluated by the devices under test301,302may deviate from the selection described with reference toFIGS. 5A to 5C. It may also be possible that, at a given time, not all but only some of the pins of the devices under test may receive different signal components. For example, a signal component at the pin312of the first device under test301may be the same as the signal component at one of the several pins310,311of the second device under test302. For example, at the time t1, the first pin310of the second device under test302may receive the first signal component305, which is also received at t1by the pin312of the first device under test301.The second pin311of the second device under test302may, however, receive a signal component306,307that is different from the signal component305which may be received at both the pin312of the first device under test301and the pin310of the second device under test302.

FIG. 6shows a further embodiment of an automated test equipment600for testing devices under test601,602,603according to the present invention.

The automated test equipment600is configured to combine different output signals605A,606A,607A,608A from multiple output pins610,611of a single device under test602or from output pins610,611,612,613of a plurality of devices under test601,602,603to obtain a combined signal604.

The automated test equipment600is further configured to extract individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B or properties of the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B from the combined signal604.

For example, as shown inFIG. 6, the automated test equipment600may be configured to test a first device under test601, a second device under test602and a nthdevice under test603. The first device under test601and the nthdevice under test603may each comprise one output pin612,613. The second device under test602may comprise two output pins610,611.

The output pin612of the first device under test601is configured to output an output signal605A, the first output pin610of the second device under test602is configured to output an output signal606A, the second output pin611of the second device under test602is configured to output an output signal607A, and the output pin613of the nthdevice under test603is configured to output an output signal608A.

The automated test equipment600may comprise a combiner614for combining one or more of the respective output signals605A,606A,607A,608A into a combined signal604. Thus, the combined signal604contains the information of the individual output signals605A,606A,607A,608A.

The output signals605A,606A,607A,608A may, for instance, be combined into the combined signal604by time-multiplexing, code-multiplexing or frequency-multiplexing, or the output signals605A,606A,607A,608A may be combined into the combined signal604if they are orthogonal in any other way.

The combined signal604may be routed to an automated tester equipment tester resource615, which may be configured to measure the combined signal604. Since the combined signal604comprises all of the output signals605A,606A,607A,608A, all of these signals are measured in parallel, i.e. at substantially the same time, with only one tester resource615.

The automated test equipment600may comprise a signal extraction unit616that may be configured to extract the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B or properties of the individual signals from the measured combined signal604.

In an embodiment, the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B or the properties of the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B may be extracted from the measured combined signal604by appropriate signal analysis algorithms. The signal extracting unit616may comprise a digital filter or an analog filter to extract the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B or the properties of the individual signals from the measured combined signal604.

A respective result621,622,623may be obtained for each of the extracted individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B. In particular, a first result621may be obtained for the first extracted signal605B, a second result622may be obtained for the second and the third extracted signal606B,607B, and an nthresult622may be obtained for the nthextracted signal608B.

As mentioned above, the output signals605A,606A,607A,608A may have been combined into the combined signal604by time-multiplexing, code-multiplexing or frequency-multiplexing, or the output signals605A,606A,607A,608A may have been combined into the combined signal604if they were orthogonal in any other way. In either case, this allows an alleviated separation of the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B from each other by the signal extracting unit616, i.e. when these signals are extracted from the measured combined signal604. In other words, the automated test equipment600is adapted to separate the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B from each other when these signals are extracted from the measured combined signal604.

The individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B may comprise different frequencies or frequency components, or wherein the individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B have been code-multiplexed or time-multiplexed into the combined signal604.

It is possible to combine distinctly different signals605A,606A,607A,608A (digital signals, analog signals, Radio-Frequency signals, time-varying signals, time-constant signals, etc.) into one common combined signal604as long as these individual signals meet the above-mentioned criteria and as long as the inventive automated test equipment tester resource615is able to cope with these individual signals.

According to an embodiment, the different individual output signals605A,606A,607A,608A may be at least two out of a digital signal, an analog signal, a Radio-Frequency signal and a direct current (DC) signal.

Still with reference toFIG. 6, the automated test equipment600may, for instance, be configured to process different output signals605A,606A,607A,608A comprising such different signal characteristics. For example, the first signal605A that is outputted by output pin612of the first device under test601may be an analog signal. The second signal606A that is outputted by output pin610of the second device under test602may be a digital signal. The third signal607A that is outputted by output pin611of the second device under test602may be a Radio-Frequency signal. The fourth signal608A that is outputted by output pin613of the third device under test603may be a direct current (DC) signal.

The automated test equipment600is configured to combine these different individual signals605A,606A,607A,608A into one single common combined signal604. This combined signal604may then be routed to only one automated test equipment tester resource615which is configured to measure the combined signal604in only one single shot. This saves expensive automated test equipment resources and simultaneously reduces the measurement execution time.

As can be seen inFIG. 7, each measurement701,702,703can be done simultaneously within the same time span tx, since only the combined signal604is measured during tx, wherein the combined signal604contains all of the separate individual signals that are outputted from the devices under test. Stated differently, there is no need to measure each of the individual output signals separately one after the other as they can be measured all together as they are contained in the combined signal604.

Accordingly, the automated test equipment600may be configured to combine, for instance, a time-varying signal and a time-constant signal into a combined signal, and/or a digital signal and an analog signal into a combined signal.

Still with reference toFIG. 6, the automated test equipment600is not only configured to combine different individual signals into a combined signal604, but also to extract these different individual signals from the combined signal604. As each of the signals may comprise a different signal characteristic (e.g. analog, digital, RF, DC, etc.) the automated test equipment600is configured to separate these signals from each other when they are extracted from the measured combined signal604.

Referring to the above described example, the first signal605A may be an analog signal, the second signal606A may be a digital signal, the third signal607A may be a Radio-Frequency (RF) signal, and the fourth signal608A may be a DC signal. These signals are combined into the combined signal604and measured by the tester resource615.

The signals are extracted from the measured combined signal604. The first signal605B may be extracted from the combined signal604, wherein the automated test equipment600is configured to determine that the first signal605B is an analog signal. Thus, the automated test equipment600, in particular the signal extracting unit616, may be configured to separate this analog signal605B from the other signal types (digital, RF, DC, etc.) upon extracting the signals from the combined signal604. Similarly, the second signal606B may be determined as a digital signal and may be separated from the other signals (analog, RF, DC, etc.) upon extraction from the combined signal604. The third signal607B may be determined as an RF-signal and may be separated from the other signals (analog, digital, DC, etc.) upon extraction from the combined signal604. The fourth signal608B may be determined as a DC signal and may be separated from the other signals (analog, digital, RF, etc.) upon extraction from the combined signal604.

Accordingly, the automated test equipment600may be configured to combine and separate different types of signals, for instance, a time-varying signal and a time-constant signal, and/or a digital signal and an analog signal.

Stated differently, the automated test equipment600provides for a combination of different individual signals605A,606A,607A,608A into a combined signal604, and a separation of different individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B from a combined signal604. The individual output signals605A,606A,607A,608A that are outputted by the devices under test601,602,603and combined into the combined signal604may correspond to the separated individual signals605B,606B,607B,608B after the combined signal604has been measured.

FIG. 8shows a further embodiment of an automated test equipment800according to the present invention. It shows an example where individual signals801,802,803at different frequency bands are combined by an additive operation. The resulting combined signal804contains all frequencies of the individual signals. It is measured by only one automated test equipment tester resource815. The individual results821,822,823are derived by filtering out the respective frequency bands.

The first signal801may be an output signal from an output pin of a first device under test (not shown). The first signal801may comprise one or more signal components within a first frequency band f1denoted with reference numeral805A.

The second signal802may be an output signal from a further output pin of the first device under test, or from a different output pin of a second device under test (not shown). The second signal802may comprise one or more signal components within a second frequency band f2denoted with reference numeral806A, wherein the second frequency band806A of the second signal802is different to the first frequency band805A of the first signal801.

The third signal803may be an output signal from an output pin of a third device under test (not shown). The third signal803may comprise one or more signal components within a third frequency band f3denoted with reference numeral807A. The third frequency band807A of the third signal803is different to the second frequency band806A of the second signal802and different to the first frequency band805A of the first signal801.

The automated test equipment800may comprise a combiner814which combines the individual signals801,802,803into a combined signal804. The combined signal804thus comprises the information, i.e. the one or more signal components contained within the respective frequency bands805A,806A,807A, of the respective signals801,802,803.

The combined signal804is measured by the automated test equipment resource815, wherein a respective individual result may be obtained for each of the signals801,802,803. For that, the automated test equipment800is configured to separate the individual signals801,802,803from each other and to extract the individual signals801,802,803or the properties of the individual signals from the combined signal604, similar as described above with reference toFIG. 6.

As can be seen inFIG. 8, the respective different frequency bands805B,806B,807B can be extracted from the measured combined signal804and a respective individual result821,822,823can be obtained for each of the frequency bands805B,806B,807B.

As all of the individual signals801,802,803are combined into one common combined signal804, it may be sufficient to provide only one automated test equipment tester resource815to measure this combined signal804and, thus, all of the individual signals801,802,803contained therein. The respective individual results821,822,823for each of the individual signals801,802,803can be obtained as the automated test equipment800is configured to extract the individual signals from the combined signal804.

An example of a combiner614,814,914for combining the plurality of different single signals into a common combined signal is shown inFIG. 9. A switchable signal routing circuit905, as for example disclosed in PCT/EP2013/054303, may be used to implement an additive combiner614,814,914. Using this circuit905, it is possible to select the signals901,902,903to be combined into a combined signal904at runtime. All signals901,902,903that are connected to the switchable signal routing circuit905can be combined (added) in any possible configuration. It is possible to route only one signal to the automated test equipment resource615,815as well as all signals combined as well as any other combination. This greatly increases the flexibility of test program development.

FIG. 10shows an embodiment of a method for testing devices under test according to the present invention.

At block1010, the method comprises combining different output signals from multiple pins of a single device under test or from pins of a plurality of devices under test to obtain a combined signal.

At block1020, the method comprises extracting individual signals or properties of the individual signals from the combined signal.

The inventive decomposed signal can be stored on a digital storage medium or can be transmitted on a transmission medium such as a wireless transmission medium or a wired transmission medium such as the Internet.

Some embodiments according to the invention comprise a non-transitory data carrier having electronically readable control signals, which are capable of cooperating with a programmable computer system, such that one of the methods described herein is performed.