Abstract:
A connector tester for testing connectors of a control panel of a computer includes a micro control unit (MCU), at least one first test channel, at least one second test channel, a control circuit, and a display circuit. The two at least one test channels receive a select signal from the MCU for forming a test loop with the connectors that are connected to the two or more test channels. The control circuit controls the MCU to transmit the select signal to the two or more test channels. The display circuit is controlled by the MCU to display test result of the connectors, if the test loop is electrically closed, the MCU controls the display circuit to show a good test result for the connectors; if the test loop is electrically open, the MCU controls the display circuit to show a bad test result for the connectors.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to computer connector testers, and particularly to a computer connector tester which can test connectors of different kinds that are installed on a control panel of a computer. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally speaking, most computers and servers have many kinds of connectors, such as USB connectors, arranged on control panels thereof. In manufacturing, the connectors are respectively tested by corresponding testers. Using these testers will prolong test time and increase test cost. 
         [0005]    What is desired, therefore, is to provide a single computer connector tester which can test many kinds of connectors that are installed on a control panel of a computer at the same time. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An exemplary connector tester for testing connectors of a control panel of a computer includes a micro control unit (MCU), at least one first test channel, at least one second test channel, a control circuit, and a display circuit. The two or more test channels receive a select signal from the MCU for forming a test loop with the connectors that are connected to the two or more test channels. The control circuit controls the MCU to transmit the select signal to the two at least one test channels. The display circuit is controlled by the MCU to display test result of the connectors, if the test loop is electrically closed, the MCU controls the display circuit to show a good test result for the connectors; if the test loop is electrically open, the MCU controls the display circuit to show a bad test result for the connectors. 
         [0007]    Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a computer connector tester in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram of the computer connector tester of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a computer connector tester in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided for testing connectors mounted on a control panel of a computer. The computer connector tester includes a case  10 , a printed circuit board (PCB)  30  arranged in the case  10 , and a cover  50  for covering the case  10 . 
         [0012]    Two first through holes  11  and two second through holes  12  are defined in one side wall of the case  10 , and two third through holes  13  are defined in an opposite side wall of the case  10 . A battery compartment  14  is defined in the case  10  for installation of batteries  142  therein, to supply power to the computer connector tester. 
         [0013]    Two first connectors  31  and two second connectors  32  are arranged on one end of the PCB  30 , and two third connectors  33  are arranged on an opposite end of the PCB  30 . The connectors  31 ,  32 ,  33  respectively correspond to the through holes  11 ,  12 ,  13  of the case  10 . The PCB  30  includes a plurality of two-way light-emitting diodes (LEDs)  342 , an LED  344 , a first switch  35 , and a second switch  36  arranged thereon. In this embodiment, one of the first connectors  31  includes 10 pins (each pin is 2.00 mm) in a 2*5 pattern, and the other one of the first connectors  31  includes 10 pins (each pin is 2.54 mm) in a 2*5 pattern. Each of the second connectors  32  is a universal serial bus (USB) connector (includes 5 pins). One of the third connectors  33  includes 24 pins (each pin is 2.00 mm) 2*12 pattern, and the other one of the third connectors  33  includes 24 pins (each pin is 2.54 mm) 2*12 pattern. In other embodiments, the connectors  31 ,  32 ,  33  can also be changed to any kinds of electrically connectors (includes male and female connectors) according to actual need. An amount of the two-way LEDs  342  is 48, and the two-way LEDs  342  are arranged in a 2×24 matrix on the PCB  30 . Other numbers and arrangements of two-way LEDs  342  can also be utilized to practice the present invention according to need. 
         [0014]    The cover  50  includes a window  52  corresponding to the two-way LEDs  342 . Three through holes  54 ,  55 ,  56  are defined in the cover  50  respectively corresponding to the LED  344 , the first switch  35 , and the second switch  36 . 
         [0015]    Referring also to  FIG. 2 , in assembly, the PCB  30  is installed in the case  10 . The connectors  31 ,  32 ,  33  are respectively exposed via the through holes  11 ,  12 , and  13 . The two-way LEDs  342  can be viewed via the window  52 . The LED  344 , the first switch  35 , and the second switch  36  are exposed to external view via the three though holes  54 ,  55 ,  56 , respectively. 
         [0016]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , a test circuit arranged in the PCB  30  includes a micro control unit (MCU) U 1 , two 4-bit latches  372  corresponding to the second connectors  32 , two 12-bit latches  374  corresponding to the third connectors  33 , two 4-bit buffers  38  corresponding to the first connectors  31 , two drive circuits  39  for amplifying current, two capacitors C 1  and C 2 , and three resistors R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 . 
         [0017]    Each first connectors  31  transmit data to the MCU U 1  via the buffers  38 . An I/O pin P 3 . 4  of the MCU U 1  is connected to one of the buffers  38 , and is also connected to the other one of the buffers  38  via a not gate U 2 . Each first connector  31  and the two buffers  38  form two first test channels, namely, a group first test channels. The MCU U 1  selects one of the group first test channels via the I/O pin P 3 . 4 . 
         [0018]    The MCU U 1  transmits data to the second connectors  32  via the corresponding latches  372 . Each latch  372  and its corresponding second connector  32  form a second test channel. An input/output (I/O) pin P 3 . 4  of the MCU U 1  is connected to one of the latches  372 , and is also connected to the other one of the latches  372  via a not gate U 3 . The MCU U 1  selects one of the two second test channels via the I/O pin P 3 . 4 . The first test channels correspond to the second test channels respectively. 
         [0019]    The MCU U 1  transmits data to the drive circuits  39  via the corresponding latches  374 . Each of the drive circuits  39  is connected to and drives one line of the two-way LEDs  342 , and one line of the two-way LEDs  342  is correspondingly connected to one of the third connectors  33 . Each of the latches  374 , its corresponding drive circuit  39 , and corresponding one line of the two-way LEDs  342  form a third test channel. An I/O pin P 2 . 4  is connected to one of the latches  374 , and also connected to the other one of the latches  374  via a not gate U 4 . An I/O pin P 2 . 5  is connected to one of the drive circuits  39 , and is also connected to the other one of the drive circuits  39  via a not gate U 5 . The MCU U 1  selects one of the two third test channels via the I/O pin P 2 . 4  and I/O pin P 2 . 5 . 
         [0020]    An I/O pin P 2 . 6  is connected to a base of a transistor Q 1 , a collector of the transistor Q 1  is connected to a cathode of the LED  344 . An anode of the LED  344  is connected to a power supply source Vcc via the resistor R 3 . The power supply source Vcc is the batteries  142  installed in the battery compartment  14 . An emitter of the transistor Q 1  is grounded. The transistor Q 1 , LED  344 , and resistor R 3  compose a display circuit for showing test results of the second test channel and its corresponding first test channel. 
         [0021]    An I/O pin P 3 . 3  of the MCU U 1  is connected to the power supply source Vcc, and also connected to the power supply source Vcc via the capacitor C 1 , and also connected to ground via the first switch  35  and the resistor R 1  in turn. The capacitor C 1 , first switch  35 , and resistor R 1  compose a control circuit for controlling the first and second test channels. 
         [0022]    A reset pin Reset is connected to ground via the resistor R 2 , and also connected to the power supply source Vcc via the capacitor C 2 , and is also connected to the power supply source Vcc via the second switch  36 . The capacitor C 2 , second switch  36 , and resistor R 2  compose a reset circuit for resetting the MCU U 1 . 
         [0023]    Before testing the connectors mounted on the control panel of the computer, the MCU U 1  is programmed according to need. The connectors mounted on the control panel of the computer are connected to the corresponding first, second, and third connectors  31 ,  32 ,  33  of the computer connector tester via corresponding data cables (not shown). In this embodiment, the connectors mounted on the control panel includes two USB connectors corresponding to the second connectors  32 , a connector which includes 10 pins in a 2*5 pattern corresponding to one of the first connectors  31 , and a connector which includes 24 pins in a 2*12 pattern corresponding to one of the third connectors  33 . The I/O pin P 3 . 4  of the MCU U 1  transmits a select signal according to the program of the MCU U 1 . The select signal includes a first select signal and a second select signal, and the two select signal swap each other at a certain frequency. The first select signal selects one of the second test channels and its corresponding first test channel consisting of the one of the first connectors  31  and one of the buffers  38 , so that the selected second test channel, the connector mounted on the control panel corresponding to the selected second test channel, the computer, the connector mounted on the control panel corresponding to the first test channel, and the first test channel form a test loop. The second select signal selects the other one of the second test channels and its corresponding first test channel consisting of the one of the first connectors  31  and the other one of the buffers  38 , so that the selected second test channel, the connector mounted on the control panel corresponding to the selected second test channel, the computer, the connector mounted on the control panel corresponding to the first test channel, and the first test channel form a test loop. Then, the first switch  35  is pressed, a voltage level of the I/O pin P 3 . 3  is goes from high to low. If the tested connectors mounted on the control panel are good, the I/O pin P 2 . 6  outputs a high voltage signal to turn on the LED  344 . If the tested connectors are bad, the I/O pin P 2 . 6  outputs a low voltage signal, and the LED  344  will not be turned on. 
         [0024]    The I/O pin P 2 . 5  and I/O pin P 2 . 6  of the MCU U 1  both transmit a select signal according to the program of the MCU U 1 . The select signal selects one of the third test channels, if the corresponding tested connector is good, the corresponding drive circuit  39  drives the corresponding line of the two-way LEDs  342  turn on. If the corresponding tested connector is bad, the corresponding drive circuit  39  will not drive the corresponding line of the two-way LEDs  342 . 
         [0025]    Before testing connectors of a control panel of another computer, the second switch  36  is pressed to reset the MCU U 1 . Then the connectors of another computer can be tested in the aforesaid method. Because the MCU U 1  can be programmed according to need, the computer connector tester can test many kinds of connectors of control panels of computers, it may save test time and reduce test cost. 
         [0026]    The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. 
         [0027]    The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.