Patent ID: 7973259

Claim:
A sorting apparatus configured to sort electronic components, the sorting apparatus comprising: a testing station configured for testing and determining a characteristic of each electronic component; a first tray comprising a first plurality of receptacles for receiving tested electronic components; a second tray comprising a second plurality of receptacles for receiving tested electronic components, the second plurality having a number of receptacles greater than the number of receptacles of the first plurality of receptacles of the first tray; and a processor configured and operative to determine a frequency of tested characteristics occurring in the electronic components, and to assign a receptacle to each selected tested characteristic such that electronic components having a first characteristic of the tested characteristics, the first characteristic occurring with greater frequency than remaining characteristics of the tested characteristics, are assigned receptacles comprised in the first tray and electronic components having a tested characteristic occurring with lower frequency are assigned receptacles comprised in the second tray; and a tray loading apparatus configured and operative for loading the electronic components into the respective receptacles assigned by the processor.