Patent ID: 7541827

Claim:
An apparatus for supporting BGA packages for one or more testing processes, the apparatus comprising: a substrate member, a plurality of contact pads directly disposed on the substrate member, each of the contact pads being spatially disposed around a peripheral region of the substrate; a plurality of contact regions spatially configured on a portion of the substrate member, each of the plurality of contact regions numbered from 1 through N being electrically connected to respective contact pads numbered from 1 through N, the plurality of contact regions being configured to provide electrical contact to respective plurality of balls provided on a BGA package such that electrical connections are made from the respective plurality of balls on the BGA package to the respective contact pads, thereby preventing direct probing of electrical components in the BGA package during the one or more testing processes; and a holder device coupled to the substrate member, the holder device being adapted to mechanically hold the BGA package in place to provide mechanical contact between the plurality of balls and respective plurality of contact regions.