GB2184555A - Assembling a module library for the generation of a PCB test program - Google Patents
Assembling a module library for the generation of a PCB test program Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2184555A GB2184555A GB08629664A GB8629664A GB2184555A GB 2184555 A GB2184555 A GB 2184555A GB 08629664 A GB08629664 A GB 08629664A GB 8629664 A GB8629664 A GB 8629664A GB 2184555 A GB2184555 A GB 2184555A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- printed circuit
- circuit board
- module library
- components
- information
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
- G01R31/317—Testing of digital circuits
- G01R31/3181—Functional testing
- G01R31/3183—Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences
- G01R31/318307—Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences computer-aided, e.g. automatic test program generator [ATPG], program translations, test program debugging
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
- G01R31/2801—Testing of printed circuits, backplanes, motherboards, hybrid circuits or carriers for multichip packages [MCP]
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
- G01R31/28—Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer
- G01R31/317—Testing of digital circuits
- G01R31/3181—Functional testing
- G01R31/319—Tester hardware, i.e. output processing circuits
- G01R31/31903—Tester hardware, i.e. output processing circuits tester configuration
- G01R31/31915—In-circuit Testers
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Tests Of Electronic Circuits (AREA)
Abstract
To assemble a module library, for the generation of an in-circuit test program for printed circuit boards, the behaviour of the components on the board is registered at nodes predetermined by the circuit description during a functional test sequence and/or during a simulation program sequence and this behaviour is input into the module library as component information; from this information and the circuit description an in-circuit test program can then be put together.
Description
SPECIFICATION
Procedure for assembling and disassembling a module library for the generation of an circuit test program for printed circuit boards
The invention relates to a procedure according to the precharacterizing clause of the claim.
To test the individual components of a printed circuit board, in-circuittest procedures are used (Elektronikpraxis No. 1,January 1981, pages 70,77; Elektronik23/19.11.82, pup. 49 to 51 and Elektronik 11/4.6.82, pp. 77 to 80). Here the test program is generated from the circuit description of the fully assembled printed circuit board and from individual pieces of analog or digital information on the components mounted on the printed circuit board, such as resistors, capacitors, transistors, rectifiers, operational amplifiers and other integrated components (IC), which information is stored in a module library. The information on components is read into the module library manually from the corresponding description information provided bythe components manufacturer.Furthermore, it must also be ensured, when drawing up the test program, that the componentto be measured is isolated for measurement during its individual test in such a way that a quasi-individual test of the component is carried out without being influenced bythe rest ofthe circuit on the printed circuit board. The actual test is effected under the control of this test program in a testing device in which isolated testing of the individual components is carried out at predetermined printed circuit board nodes by means of a needle bed adapter conformed to the printed circuit board and having a plurality of needle contact pins.The drawing-up of the test program for the in-circuit test can be effected manually or, if this is too costly, with an automatic program generator which automatically generates the respective test sequences from the information from the module library and the circuit description of the printed circuit board directly in the test system language for the computer used (Test and Measure- ment World, November 1983, pp. 43 to 53).
The input of the respective component information derived from the details provided bythe manu facturerintothemodule library and above all its completion is becoming ever more difficult and con fused due to the plurality of components now offered by the most varied manufacturers,this being true particularly of digitally operating components, used ever more frequently on printed circuit boards. The increasing number and growing complexity of dioltal integrated components make increasingly difficult a quantitative and qualitative adaptation of these module libraries to the state of the art.
To check the overall functioning of fully assembled printed circuit boards functional test procedures are also already known, wherein, in total disregard for the topology of the assembled circuit, an appropriate functional test program is fed into the input of the circuit and measured at the output to find out whether the circuit of the printed circuit board is operating faultlessly or is defective (functional test according to Elektronikpraxis, No. 1,January pp.
70,71). Afunctional test is considered "good" when the complete picture of all in- and ouput signals corresponds to a certain required value. If this is notthe case the search for faults begins possibly within the context of an ensuing in-circuittest.
The problem on which the invention is based is that of providing a procedure with which the assembly and disassembly of a module library for the drawing-up of an in-circuit test program, i.e. the input and completion of the information on the components used in the assembly of any printed circuit board, occurs automatically.
This problem is solved by the characterizing features of the procedure according to the precharacterizing clause ofthe claim.
In the procedure according to the invention the information on the individual components which are used to assemble a printed circuit board is no longer input into the module library manually from the details given bythe component manufacturer, but rather th is is carried out in the procedure according to the invention automatically by a functional test sequence. To this end, for example, a printed circuit board equipped with any components, whose circuit description, including a parts list of the components used and a list ofthe respective connections between the individual nodes, is present as a program, is introduced into a conventional test device with a needle bed adapter, as known perseforcarrying out an in-circuittest program.However, the printed circuit board is not then acted upon, as in the in-circuit test, by predetermined measurementvoltagesor measuring frequencies between selected nodes, but rather is acted upon at its functional inputs by a functional test program known perse,that isto say it is subjected to a functional test known per se. Atthe same time the device is so controlled by the abovementioned program comprising the circuit description ofthe printed circuit board that the respective behaviour of the individual components is measured and registered by means of the needle bed adapter contact pins at as many nodes as possible, in succession, of the components listed in the circuit description.In this way, during the functional test sequence the way is registered in which the individual components behave during normal operation at their associated nodes predetermined bythe circuit description and these pieces of information, detected by measurement in this way, are stored in the module library in their relation to the individual components, which are already defined clearly in the circuit description and correspondingly described in the parts list. Thus, aftercompletescanning and measuring of all the components mounted on a printed circuit board, all the components of at least this tested printed circuit board are available in the module library, together with the data relating to them, for the generation of an ensuing in-circuit test program.By successive measuring of further printed circuit boards with other components a module library of any desired size can thus be assembled and, in particular, also constantly disassembled,which is especially advantageousforthe ever more frequently used digital components, which comprise a plurality of functional data at a plurality of nodes, which func tional data would be very expensive to input manually from the details provided by the manufacturer.
According to the invention, it is thus possibleto assemble an extensive module library in a simple way, merely by combining control of a device having a needle bed adapter bythecircuit description program of a printed circuit board to be tested with the simultaneous input of a functional test program into the printed circuit board. Measurement does not have to be carried out on an intact specimen printed circuit board - it could also be carried out on any printed circuit board which has not yet been tested; it is sufficient to carry out the measurements in succession on several such printed circuit boards in order finallyto obtain the information for all components.
With the procedure according to the invention the module library in practice learns automatically one afterthe otherthe respective pieces of information from the components on a printed circuit board.
Another possibility for implementing the procedure according to the invention consists in deriving the information forthe module library automatically from the result values of a printed circuit board simulation program sequence known perse. Such simulation programs are usual in the computer-assisted development and construction of printed circuit board circuits and simulate in a computerthefunc- tional sequence of the entire circuit of the printed circuit board.If such a simulation program is combined once again with the circuit description program, it is again possible to register, at nodes predetermined by the circuit description, the respective functional data of a component connected thereto, these functional data then being input into the module library again together with the characteristic data of re- spective component, which are already contained in the parts list of the circuit description, and stored awaythere. Thus in this case too, the module library learns automatically the respective component information. This learning of component information from a simulated functional test sequence can possibly also be carried out in conjunction with an actually effected functional test on a fully assembled printed circuit board.
The information on the individual components stored in the module library bythe procedure according to the invention can subsequently be used in a known way and possibly with the use of an automatic program generator in a test program for an incircuittest of any printed circuit board, which test program can also be carried outdirectly,for instance,asadiagnosticprocedurefollowing anegative functional test ofthe printed circuit board.The procedure according to the invention does not only exhibitthe advantage that such a module library can be assembled automatically in the course oftime by several successive automatic measurements on finished printed circuit boards, but also has the great advantage orofcertainty that alwaysthose data are re- gistered from a component which are actuallyim- portantforthe functioning thereof in the respective instance of application. In the procedure according to the invention the individual pieces of component information are detected during a normal functional sequence of a printed circuit board equipped with these components and thus with certainty that be haviourofthe component is measured each time which is significantfor a subsequent in-circuit test.
With the assembly usual hitherto of such module lib raries from the details provided by the component manufacturer this has not always been guaranteed with certainty, as the manufacturer may possibly not have described precisely such a function of the component, precisely this function not therefore being ableto be included inthetestprogramforan incircuit test.
Claims (1)
- A procedure for assembling and disassembling a module library in which the information on individual components of printed circuit boards is stored, from which information, togetherwith the circuit description of the printed circuit board, there can be generated an in-circuittest program for a printed circuit board equipped with such components, characterized in that during a functional test sequence known perseand/orduringasimulationprogram sequence known per se the behaviour of the components arranged at nodes on the printed circuit board predetermined bythe circuit description is registered atthese nodes and input into the module library as component information.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE19853543699 DE3543699A1 (en) | 1985-12-11 | 1985-12-11 | METHOD FOR TESTING THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF A CIRCUIT BOARD (IN-CIRCUIT TEST) |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8629664D0 GB8629664D0 (en) | 1987-01-21 |
| GB2184555A true GB2184555A (en) | 1987-06-24 |
| GB2184555B GB2184555B (en) | 1990-08-01 |
Family
ID=6288146
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8629664A Expired - Fee Related GB2184555B (en) | 1985-12-11 | 1986-12-11 | Procedure for assembling or extending a module library for the generation of an in-circuit test program for printed circuit boards |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE3543699A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2184555B (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2815414A1 (en) * | 2000-10-17 | 2002-04-19 | Larisys | Device for testing an electro-mechanical device that incorporates at least one electronic card speeds testing and improves its reliability by largely automating a large part of testing |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE4309842C1 (en) * | 1993-03-26 | 1994-06-16 | Arnold Edv Gmbh | IC circuit board testing system - uses comparison impedances obtained across test pins for fault-free circuit board during learning phase |
| DE102019121903A1 (en) * | 2019-08-14 | 2021-02-18 | Seg Automotive Germany Gmbh | Method for producing an assembly with several semiconductor components, assembly and use of an assembly |
Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1498125A (en) * | 1974-07-01 | 1978-01-18 | Xerox Corp | Digital circuit module test system |
| GB2001178A (en) * | 1977-07-15 | 1979-01-24 | Fluke Trendar | Programmable circuit system tester |
| GB2019014A (en) * | 1978-04-13 | 1979-10-24 | Ncr Co | Testing apparatus for testing printed circuit boards |
| EP0042222A2 (en) * | 1980-06-17 | 1981-12-23 | Zehntel, Inc. | Programmable sequence generator for in-circuit digital tester |
| GB2086061A (en) * | 1980-10-13 | 1982-05-06 | Marconi Instruments Ltd | Automatic test systems |
| EP0077736A2 (en) * | 1981-10-19 | 1983-04-27 | FAIRCHILD CAMERA & INSTRUMENT CORPORATION | Test vector indexing method and apparatus |
| EP0128774A2 (en) * | 1983-06-13 | 1984-12-19 | Hewlett-Packard Company | High throughput circuit tester and test technique avoiding overdriving damage |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS61501416A (en) * | 1982-12-15 | 1986-07-10 | イクイツプメント セイルズ コムパニ− インコ−ポレ−テツド | High-speed testing of complex circuits |
-
1985
- 1985-12-11 DE DE19853543699 patent/DE3543699A1/en active Granted
-
1986
- 1986-12-11 GB GB8629664A patent/GB2184555B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1498125A (en) * | 1974-07-01 | 1978-01-18 | Xerox Corp | Digital circuit module test system |
| GB2001178A (en) * | 1977-07-15 | 1979-01-24 | Fluke Trendar | Programmable circuit system tester |
| GB2019014A (en) * | 1978-04-13 | 1979-10-24 | Ncr Co | Testing apparatus for testing printed circuit boards |
| EP0042222A2 (en) * | 1980-06-17 | 1981-12-23 | Zehntel, Inc. | Programmable sequence generator for in-circuit digital tester |
| GB2086061A (en) * | 1980-10-13 | 1982-05-06 | Marconi Instruments Ltd | Automatic test systems |
| EP0077736A2 (en) * | 1981-10-19 | 1983-04-27 | FAIRCHILD CAMERA & INSTRUMENT CORPORATION | Test vector indexing method and apparatus |
| EP0128774A2 (en) * | 1983-06-13 | 1984-12-19 | Hewlett-Packard Company | High throughput circuit tester and test technique avoiding overdriving damage |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
| Title |
|---|
| WO A1/8402412 * |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2815414A1 (en) * | 2000-10-17 | 2002-04-19 | Larisys | Device for testing an electro-mechanical device that incorporates at least one electronic card speeds testing and improves its reliability by largely automating a large part of testing |
| WO2002033431A1 (en) * | 2000-10-17 | 2002-04-25 | Larisys | Device for testing an electromechanical apparatus and method for determining means constituting such a device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE3543699A1 (en) | 1987-06-19 |
| GB8629664D0 (en) | 1987-01-21 |
| GB2184555B (en) | 1990-08-01 |
| DE3543699C2 (en) | 1989-02-23 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19921211 |