Patent ID: 8606102

Claim:
A test interface device on a probe card, comprising: a first serializer configured to serialize parallel test signals received from an automatic test equipment into a serial test signal; a first optical transmitter coupled to the first serializer and configured to convert the serial test signal into an optical test signal and to transmit the optical test signal through a first optical cable; a first optical receiver coupled to the first optical transmitter via the first optical cable and configured to receive the optical test signal through the first optical cable and to convert the optical test signal into the serial test signal; a first deserializer coupled to the first optical receiver and configured to deserialize the serial test signal into the parallel test signals and to provide the parallel test signals to N devices under test, where N is a natural number greater than 1; a single result decision circuit coupled to the N devices under test, the single result decision circuit configured to receive N parallel test result signals from the N devices under test, and configured to generate N result decision signals based on the N parallel test result signals received from the N devices under test; a second serializer configured to serialize the N result decision signals into a serial result decision signal; a second optical transmitter configured to convert the serial result decision signal into an optical result decision signal and to transmit the optical result decision signal through a second optical cable; a second optical receiver configured to receive the optical result decision signal through the second optical cable and to convert the optical result decision signal into the serial result decision signal; and a second deserializer configured to deserialize the serial result decision signal into the N result decision signals and to provide the N result decision signals to the automatic test equipment.