Patent ID: 8344376

Claim:
A system for aligning electrical contacts of a second electronic circuit or assembly with electrical contacts of a first electronic circuit or assembly, the first electronic circuit or assembly and the second electronic circuit or assembly each being provided with alignment features, comprising: a placement mechanism for placing electrical contacts of the second electronic circuit or assembly in contact or near contact with electrical contacts of the first electronic circuit or assembly; a sensing mechanism for, during said contact or near contact, electrically sensing an alignment condition of alignment features of the second electronic circuit or assembly and alignment features of the first electronic circuit or assembly to obtain sensing information, and for storing the sensing information; and a controller coupled to the placement mechanism and the sensing mechanism for analyzing said sensing information to determine a movement to be caused between the second electronic circuit or assembly and the first electronic circuit or assembly to achieve an improved alignment condition; wherein each of the alignment features comprises a plurality of alignment elements, and wherein the sensing mechanism is configured to electrically sense an alignment condition of alignment elements of an alignment feature of the second electronic circuit or assembly and alignment elements of an alignment feature of the first electronic circuit or assembly.