Integrated circuit chip test adapter

Details Integrated circuit chip test adapter Integrated circuit chip test adapter

2001-09-27

2004-04-27

Cuneo, Kamand (Department: 2829)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components

Of individual circuit component or element

Reexamination Certificate

active

06727717

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing an integrated circuit chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are general-purpose devices that may be modified to perform particular tasks or functions. Generally, computer systems include a motherboard, a power source, and other components mounted within an enclosure. The motherboard typically includes a number of connectors or slots in which special purpose printed circuit boards or “daughter cards”, e.g., peripheral component interface (PCI) bus cards, industry standard architecture (ISA) bus cards, proprietary bus cards, and the like, may be inserted. These special purpose cards may be used to add to or enhance the functionality of the computer system. For example, a conventional computer system may have its graphics capability enhanced by the addition of a graphics card. Similarly, the sound-producing capability of the computer system may be enhanced by the addition of a sound card.
Such motherboards and daughter cards may include one or more integrated circuit chips, such as central processing unit (CPU) chips or microprocessors. During the development of a new integrated circuit chip, it is often desirable to test the integrated circuit chip by delivering various signals to the integrated circuit chip, as well by monitoring various signals being delivered from the integrated circuit chip. It is also often desirable to perform such tests while the integrated circuit chip is installed and operating in a computer system.
Generally, conventional integrated circuit chip test adapters are used by inserting pins extending from the integrated circuit chip to be tested into contacts of a chip socket of the test adapter. The test adapter chip socket also has pins extending therefrom, and these pins are then inserted into contacts of a chip socket of the motherboard or daughter card in which the integrated circuit chip is to be used. Testing equipment may be attached to leads extending from the contacts of the test adapter chip socket. The additional electrical interconnections between the integrated circuit chip and the motherboard/daughter card chip socket, as well as the increased conductor length from the integrated circuit chip pins to the motherboard/daughter card chip socket, may affect the signals delivered to and received from the integrated circuit chip, thus affecting the integrated circuit chip's operation.
Further, conventional integrated circuit chip test adapters may lack the ability to provide electrical contact with all pins of the integrated circuit chip, especially integrated circuit chips having hundreds or even thousands of pins extending therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for testing an integrated circuit chip is presented. The apparatus includes a printed circuit device having connector pads, contacts, and traces extending between at least some of the connector pads and the contacts. The printed circuit device has openings therethrough, intersecting the contacts, that are adapted to receive the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip so that the contacts may electrically contact the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip. The apparatus further includes a connector electrically interconnected with at least some of the connector pads. The apparatus is adapted to be disposed between the integrated circuit chip and a chip socket, such that the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip may be inserted through the printed circuit device and into the chip socket.
In another aspect of the present invention, a test assembly is provided. The test assembly includes an integrated circuit chip having pins extending therefrom, a chip socket having contacts engaged with the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip, a printed circuit device disposed between the integrated circuit chip and the chip socket, and a connector. The printed circuit device has connector pads, contacts, and traces extending between the contacts and at least some of the connector pads. The printed circuit device further has openings therethrough, intersecting the contacts, through which the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip are disposed such that the contacts are engaged with the pins extending from the integrated circuit chip. The connector is electrically connected with at least some of the connector pads.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided including inserting a test adapter between an integrated circuit chip and a chip socket such that pins extending from the integrated circuit chip are physically connected with contacts of the test adapter and with contacts of the chip socket.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5477161 (1995-12-01), Kardos et al.
patent: 5559445 (1996-09-01), Eaddy et al.
patent: 5896037 (1999-04-01), Kudla et al.
patent: 6593763 (2003-07-01), Weber

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