Electricity: measuring and testing – Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components – Of individual circuit component or element
Utility Patent
1997-05-12
2001-01-02
Karlsen, Ernest (Department: 2858)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components
Of individual circuit component or element
C324S1540PB
Utility Patent
active
06169413
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application for SYSTEM FOR TESTING HARD DISK DRIVES earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on May 10, 1996, Nov. 13, 1996, and Apr. 22, 1997, and there duly assigned Ser. Nos. 96-15692 and 96-53789.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system for testing hard disk drives (HDDs), and more particularly, relates to a system for multi-testing a number of HDDs by using a single host computer connected to a plurality of HDD test computers.
2. Related Art
In last several decades, rapid innovation in the hard disk drive technology has been parallel with the progress in the VLSI and software techniques to serve as a traction engine for the development of the modem information industry. The trend of hard disk drive (HDD) technology is directed toward miniaturization, and maximization of storage capacity that has increased almost by ten times in terms of the recording density for every decade.
In order to test the performance of the HDDs during the post-manufacturing process before shipping to distributors, the HDDs need to be tested for servo-writing, functional test, burn-in test, and final test for checking whether the testing sets of HDDs have passed through the burn-in process after being subjected to the precise defect identifying and neutralizing process. The burn-in process requires the longest time (usually 8-16 hours) in the course of manufacturing HDDs, and the burn-in test is performed on the racks in a burn-in chamber by the self-program without a separate test system. The bum-in process is intended to identify defects on the disks and to prearrange the defects to be skipped when using HDDs.
Conventional HDD test system generally requires a single test computer to perform various tests on a corresponding one of HDDs connected thereto in a one-to-one relationship. Examples of HDD test systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,726 for Electronic Burn-In System issued to Santomango et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,424 for Apparatus For Use In Testing Circuit Boards issued to Cutright et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,549 for System For Testing Individually A Plurality Of Disk Drive Units issued to Wilson et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,155 for Environmentally Controlled Media Defect Detection System For Winchester Disk Drives issued to Magnuson. If two HDDs were, in theory, to be electrically connected with a single test computer, one of two HDDs as connected serves as a master and the other HDD serves as a slave to the test computer, and only one HDD can be tested at a time. The HDD test system is generally constructed so that each HDD test computer and its corresponding HDD are properly positioned in a test chamber of high temperature for testing purposes. Such conventional HDD testing system, as we have observed however, has a number of drawbacks. First, the conventional HDD testing system requires the same number of test computers as the HDDs to be tested at a time because there is a one-to-one connection structure between the test computers and the HDDs. As a result, the testing system becomes bulky and cost prohibitive due to the large number of HDD test computers required for testing the HDDs. Second, the conventional HDD testing system is limited in performance because the number of HDDs tested simultaneously is limited. Third, the conventional HDD testing system is not reliable in terms of its testing result because the test is often performed by separate test equipments. Fourth, the conventional HDD testing system often fails to regulate the high testing chamber and, and as a result, is unable to protect the HDD test computers installed therein from operational damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for multi-testing a number of HDDs using a single host computer having a monitor incorporated therein.
It is also an object to provide a system for multi-testing a number of HDDs using a single host computer, to control a plurality of HDD test computers each coupled to a corresponding pair of HDDs for testing the corresponding pair of the HDDs.
It is another object to provide a system for multi-testing the reliability of a number of HDDs in a controlled environment of high temperature.
These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved by a system for multi-testing a number of hard disk drives (HDDs) which comprises a burn-in chamber of high temperature for orderly stacking the HDDs in rows and columns, a control chamber thermally insulated from the burn-in chamber by a partition wall for detachably mounting a plurality of HDD test computers in rows and columns to electrically connect with the HDDs, and a host computer for controlling an internal environment of the burn-in chamber and operation of the HDD test computers.
The present invention is more specifically described in the following paragraphs by reference to the drawings attached only by way of example.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4636726 (1987-01-01), Santomango et al.
patent: 4683424 (1987-07-01), Cutright et al.
patent: 4746995 (1988-05-01), Rauskolb
patent: 4888549 (1989-12-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 4967155 (1990-10-01), Magnuson
patent: 5126656 (1992-06-01), Jones
patent: 5223006 (1993-06-01), Moran, III
patent: 5333140 (1994-07-01), Moraru et al.
patent: 5397998 (1995-03-01), Soeno et al.
patent: 5537537 (1996-07-01), Fujikawa et al.
patent: 5644705 (1997-07-01), Stanley
patent: 5851143 (1998-12-01), Hamid
Kang Jeong-Min
Nam Chang-Woo
Paek Woon-Juk
Ryoo Dae-Geun
Sung Young-Bok
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Karlsen Ernest
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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