Patent ID: 7342402

Claim:
A method of probing an electronic device, the method comprising: providing a probing device comprising a plurality of probes each comprising a contact tip configured to contact the electronic device, each of ones of the probes in a set of the probes comprises a spring body attached at a first end to the probing device and a support structure attached to a second end of the spring body, the support structure comprising a generally planar surface from which one of the contact tips extends; focusing a camera on the generally planar surface of ones of the support structures; capturing an electronic image of the generally planar surface of the ones of the support structures; searching areas of the captured electronic image corresponding to the generally planar surface of the ones of the support structures for image features corresponding to particular features of the contact tips; and effecting contact between targets on the electronic device and the contact tips of the probes, the effecting contact comprising utilizing the image features corresponding to the particular features of the contact tips to align the contact tips of the probes and the targets on the electronic device.