Abstract:
The present invention provides a system for the contactless testing and configuring of electronic assemblies during the manufacturing process. The system includes an onboard optical transceiver, a system controller, and a controller optical transceiver. The onboard optical transceiver is located on the electronic assembly. The onboard optical transceiver is connected to an integrated circuit which is capable of performing functional tests or storing programs on the assembly. The controller optical transceiver is connected to the system controller and located adjacent to the electronic assembly. The onboard transceiver and the controller optical transceiver are used to establish a contactless communication link between the system controller and the electronic assembly. The contactless nature of the communication link allows the assembly to be transported past the controller optical transceiver by a simple conveyor while the system controller is communicating with the electronic assembly.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a manufacturing system for producing and testing an electronic assembly without contacting the electronic assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There has always been a need to test electronic assemblies during the manufacturing process. Currently, when it is necessary to perform a function test or to load a program into an assembly, the electronic assembly must be physically connected to the test equipment. Conventionally, this connection is achieved by interfacing a connector with the assembly or through the use of a test fixture having contacting test points that contact the assembly. Either prior art method involves the use of very expensive product specific tooling to interface the electronic assembly to the test equipment. Tooling which contacts the electronic assembly also requires the product to remain stationary requiring an extra stop station in the manufacturing process. Additionally, there is a significant risk of damaging the electronic assembly any time manufacturing equipment has to physically connect to the electronic assembly. The risk of damage increases over time as the tooling wears and eventually needs to be reworked. 
     In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for a system for producing and testing electronic assemblies without contacting the electronic assembly. 
     SUMMARY 
     In satisfying the above need, as well as overcoming the enumerated drawbacks and other limitations of the related art, the present invention provides a system for the contactless testing and configuring of electronic assemblies during the manufacturing process. The system includes an onboard optical transceiver, a system controller, and a controller optical transceiver. The onboard optical transceiver is located on the electronic assembly. The onboard optical transceiver is connected to an integrated circuit which is capable of performing functional tests or storing programs on the assembly. Since optical transceivers are currently built into many electronic assemblies, there is often little or no added costs to the electronic assembly. 
     The controller optical transceiver is connected to the system controller and located adjacent to the electronic assembly. The onboard transceiver and the controller optical transceiver are used to establish a contactless communication link between the system controller and the electronic assembly. The system controller can use this communication link to download programs, initiate test sequences, and retrieve test results on the electronic assembly. The ability to perform these functions in a contactless fashion, eliminates the need for an expensive test fixture, and reduces the risk of damage caused by physically interfacing with the electronic assembly. The system controller can also be connected to a larger manufacturing network which downloads new software for the electronic assemblies, configures options for the specific assemblies, and tracks test data for the assemblies. 
     The present invention also provides for a conveyor. The contactless nature of the communication link allows the assembly to move pass the controller optical transceiver while the system controller is communicating with the electronic assembly. The ability to communicate while the electronic assembly is in motion is beneficial because the assembly can be transported using a low cost conveyor. 
     Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after a review of the following description, with reference to the drawings and claims that are appended to and form a part of this specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a manufacturing system for the contactless producing and testing of an electronic assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of the manufacturing system, illustrating the manufacturing system integrated into an assembly line; 
         FIG. 3  is a cut away side view of the system illustrating an embodiment of the system where the onboard optical transceiver communicates with the controller optical transceiver through a light communication channel; 
         FIG. 4  is a cut away side view of the manufacturing system, where the onboard optical transceiver communicates to the controller optical transceiver using a light communication channel and a surface signal router; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side cut away view of the manufacturing system, where the onboard optical transceiver communicates with both the light communication channel and directly with the controller optical transceiver. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, a manufacturing system embodying the principles of the present invention is illustrated therein and designated at  10 . Manufacturing system  10  includes an onboard optical transceiver  12 , a system controller  18 , and a controller optical transceiver  16 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the onboard optical transceiver  12  is mounted to an electronic assembly  11 . The onboard optical transceiver  12  is electrically coupled to an integrated circuit  14 . The integrated circuit  14  being capable of performing functional tasks on the electronic assembly  11 . The functional tasks include, but are not limited to, storing software, initiate test sequences, reporting test results. The onboard optical transceiver  12  is adapted to take electrical signals from the integrated circuit  14  and convert them to optical signals  17  to be transmitted through the air to the controller optical transceiver  16 . The controller optical transceiver  16  is electrically coupled to the system controller  18 . 
     Optical transceivers  12 ,  16  for communicating signals  17  through the air or through optical links are readily available. These transmitters typically use an infrared wave length of light. One such in infrared transceiver is available from Agilent Technologies No. HSDL-1100. However, the same task can be accomplished using a transmitter and a receiver pair. Further, the electronic assembly may contain multiple transceivers used for communication within the assembly. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , manufacturing system  10  and conveyor  20  may be integrated into an assembly line  21 . The controller optical transceivers  16  are shown mounted on a support structure  25  located over the conveyor  20 . The controller optical transceivers  16  are positioned above and on each side of the electronic assembly  11  to provide communication with many models of the electronic assembly with various locations of the onboard optical transceiver  12 . A Fixture  22  is configured for translation along conveyer  20 . Fixture  22  orients the electronic assembly  11  relative to controller optical transceivers  16 . A power supply  24  is attached to the Fixture  11 , the fixture having contact points to provide power to the electronic assembly  11 . The power supply  24  is for example a battery. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , in an embodiment of the present invention a light communication channel  26  is provided in the electronic assembly  11 . Light communication channel technology is now being implemented in many electronic assemblies. Light communication channel  26  is used for optical communication between components or even assemblies. The availability of the light communication channel  26  allows the manufacturing system to use existing components to provide communication for testing purposes. 
     The light communication channel  26  (LCC), is a structure made of at least one type of light-transmissive material formed into any shape that would allow transmission of a signal  17  in the form of light from one point to another. The LCC  26  can be used as a substrate such as an optical substrate that can be formed into various shapes such as a rectangular slab or the shape of a part or the entirety of, for example, a main frame of an instrument panel display. As such, it can be used as a primary or secondary transmission means for a signal, such as optical signal  17  propagating from at least one signal source to at least one signal receiver, or it may encompass various electronic and/or optical components to allow a signal such as optical signal  17  to be directed to various electronic and/or optical components within the substrate, without having to resort to the use of conventional signal focusing means such as a beam splitter or focusing lens. LCC  26  may also assume other shapes such as a ring, strand, sheet, or ribbon. 
     Structures that comprise LCC  26  may include an LCC in the form of strands or other structural shapes. Structures that comprise LCC  26  may also include an LCC connected or fabricated with one or more components or systems such as a detector, light source, or an electronic system. 
     Preferably, the LCC  26  comprises a polymeric material. The material comprising LCC  26  may be polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyisobutylene, polyacrylonitrile, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(methyl methacrylate), silica, or polycarbonate. Preferably, the polymeric material is a photorefractive polymer. 
     Preferably, LCC  26  is made of at least one material that allows the transmission of light of various frequencies. Thus, for example, LCC  26  may comprise a first material transparent or translucent to a first frequency of the signals and a second material that is transparent or translucent to a second frequency of the signals. 
     LCC  26  may be fabricated using a moldable material so that LCC  26  can be cast and then cured to a desired shape. LCC  26  may have sections or areas that are connected, molded, or pressed onto a surface of a circuit board. In one aspect, LCC  26  may be integrated with structures such as printed circuit boards, flexible substrates, flatwire, and MID circuits. 
     The LCC  26  preferably has a reflective coating on at least one of its surfaces. In one aspect of the invention, the reflective coating covers the entire surface or substantially the entire surface of the except for the portions of the surface where the signal source and signal receivers are operatively connected to the LCC  26 . The reflective coating may be used to, for example, cover only the surface of LCC  26  that substantially encompass a volume of LCC  26  through which the signal source is transmitted to the signal receivers. The entire LCC may be coated with a reflective material. 
     The reflective coating can be made of any material that reflects the signal  17  transmitted through LCC  26 . The reflective coating can also be made of at least one metal or metallic alloy containing metals such as aluminum, copper, silver, or gold. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the onboard optical transceiver  12  is mounted on the surface of the electronic assembly  11  and is optically coupled to the light communication channel  26 . One or more surface signal routers  28  are oriented so that the optical signal  17  from the onboard optical transceiver  12  is redirected to propagate along the light communication channel  26 . 
     Surface signal router  28  can be a reflective coating on the surface of the LCC. The surface signal router  28  directs signal  17  from the signal source to one or more target signal recipients, such as a photodetector or an IR analyzer, that are positioned at various points on the surface of the LCC  26 . Surface signal routers  28  in the form of reflective coatings can be strategically distributed throughout the various areas or sections of the surface of LCC  26  depending on factors such as the number and type of components that form part of a signal conduction network. They can also assume the form of inclined, oblique, or wedge-shaped cuts on the surface of the 3-D LCC  26 . As used herein, an “inclined” cut includes cuts having an angular shape relative to a surface of LCC  26 ; this includes oblique and wedge-shaped cuts. Routers  28  in the form of surface cuts with other shapes such as zig-zag, wavy, or combinations of various shapes may also be used. Preferably, these surface cuts are coated with at least one reflective material such as a metal or metal alloy. 
     Again referring to  FIG. 3 , surface signal routers  28  have an opening  30  which allows the optical signals  17  from the onboard transceiver  12  to escape the light communication channel  26  and travel through the air, where the optical signals  17  are received by the controller optical transceiver  16 . 
     Optical signals  17  propagating through the light communication channel may be channeled or transmitted through air if there are no obstacles in their path. The transmitters  12 ,  16  preferably generate a light signal  17  with a unique wavelength. A wavelength selective filter (not shown) may be placed in front of signal receiver  12 ,  16  so that little or no interference occurs between different transmitters and signal receivers. 
     Power sources (not shown) that produce energies corresponding to different wavelengths may be used to power different signal receivers  12 ,  16  that have photoreceptors sensitive to certain wavelengths. Further narrowing of the wavelength range may be performed using at least one optic element (not shown) such as bandpass filter. 
     An optical signal  17  may be directed in any direction within the LCC  26 , unless, for example, the signal source or another component blocks the signal. The signal  17  may propagate, sequentially or simultaneously, along the same or opposite directions. The signal receivers  12 ,  16  may be positioned in any suitable location on a surface of the LCC  26  where the signal receivers  12 ,  16  can receive optical signal  17  from at least one signal source  12 ,  16 . Multiple signal receivers may receive signals from a single signal source. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of the manufacturing system  10  provides that the onboard optical transceiver  12  propagates the optical signals  17  along the light communication channel  26 . The surface signal router  28  is located in the light communication channel  26  so as to redirect the optical signal  17  from the transceiver  12  to propagate in a direction perpendicular to the light communication channel  26 . An opening  30  in the surface signal router  28  allows the signal  17  from the transceiver  12  to escape the light communication channel  26  and travel through the air to be received by the controller optical transceiver  16 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , yet another embodiment of the manufacturing system  10  provides a bidirectional transceiver  32 . The bidirectional transceiver  32  is adapted to receive and transmit signals  17  to the light communication channel  26  while simultaneously transmitting and receiving signals  17  through the air to the controller optical transceiver  16 . 
     Referring to the operation in a manufacturing environment of the embodiments described above, the system controller  18  transmits electrical signals to the controller optical transceiver  16 . The controller optical transceiver  16  converts the electrical signals into optical signals  17  that are transmitted through the air and received by the onboard optical transceiver  12 . The onboard optical transmitter  12  converts optical signals  17  back to electrical signals that are communicated to the integrated circuit  14  to initiate the test sequence. At the end of the test sequence, the integrated circuit  14  communicates the results by transmitting electrical signals back to the onboard optical transceiver  12 . The onboard optical transceiver  12  converts the electrical signals to optical signals  17  and transmits the optical signals  17  to the controller optical transceiver  16 . The controller optical transceiver  16  converts the optical signals  17  to the electrical signals and communicates the electrical signals to the system controller  18 . The system controller  18  stores the results of the test for that particular assembly. The optical signals  17  communicating between the controller optical transceiver  16  and the onboard optical transceiver  12  creates a contactless communication link between the system controller  18  and the electronic assembly  11 . The contactless link allows the electronic assembly  11  to communicate as it is moved past the controller optical transceiver  16  without stopping or being contacted by the test equipment. Therefore, the assembly  11  can be transported past the controller optical transceiver  16  simply by using conveyor  20 . 
     As a person skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the above description is meant as an illustration of implementation of the principles of this invention. This description is not intended to limit the scope or application of this invention in that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change, without departing from spirit of this invention, as defined in the following claims.