Electricity: measuring and testing – Measuring – testing – or sensing electricity – per se – With rotor
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-20
2002-09-03
Sherry, Michael (Department: 2829)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Measuring, testing, or sensing electricity, per se
With rotor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445174
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to test systems for IC (integrated circuit) packages, and more particularly, to a sliding tray holder assembly that eases the handling of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages through at least one of a plurality of test stations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During manufacture of integrated circuits, an integrated circuit die is mounted as part of an integrated circuit package, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit manufacture. The integrated circuit packages are tested for proper functionality of the integrated circuit die within the integrated circuit package, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit manufacture.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, an IC (integrated circuit) package test system
100
of the prior art includes a plurality of test stations including a first test station
102
, a second test station
104
, a third test station
106
, a fourth test station
108
, and a fifth test station
110
. Each of the test stations
102
,
104
,
106
,
108
, and
110
are coupled to a control panel
111
which includes a first indicator
112
for indicating when the first test station
102
is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, a second indicator
114
for indicating when the second test station
104
is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, a third indicator
116
for indicating when the third test station
106
is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, a fourth indicator
118
for indicating when the fourth test station
108
is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein, and a fifth indicator
120
for indicating when the fifth test station
110
is done testing an integrated circuit loaded therein.
During operation of the IC package test system
100
of the prior art, an operator loads an integrated circuit package to one of the plurality of test stations
102
,
104
,
106
,
108
, and
110
. Referring to
FIG. 2
, in the prior art, the operator holds a tray
200
containing a plurality of IC (integrated circuit) packages. The example tray
200
of
FIG. 2
includes a first IC package
202
, a second IC package
204
, a third IC package
206
, a fourth IC package
208
, a fifth IC package
210
, a sixth IC package
212
, a seventh IC package
214
, an eighth IC package
216
, a ninth IC package
218
, and a tenth IC package
220
. A tray typically includes more numerous IC packages, but ten IC packages are illustrated in the tray
200
of
FIG. 2
for simplicity of illustration.
During operation of the IC package test system
100
, in the prior art, the operator holds the tray
200
with one hand and holds a suction pen
230
with the other hand. The suction pen
230
is coupled to a vacuum source for providing suction at the tip of the suction pen
230
. Such suction at the tip of the suction pen
230
is amenable for picking up an IC package. Such suction pens are known to one of ordinary skill in the art of integrated circuit manufacture.
The operator picks up each of the IC packages
202
,
204
,
206
,
208
,
210
,
212
,
214
,
216
,
218
, and
220
using the suction pen
230
and loads each of the IC packages to at least one of the plurality of test stations
102
,
104
,
106
,
108
, and
110
. In one example embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of test stations
102
,
104
,
106
,
108
, and
110
are similar test stations, and each of the IC packages is tested at one of the plurality of test stations
102
,
104
,
106
,
108
, and
110
.
After an IC package is loaded into one of the test stations, the operator depresses a start button on that test station to begin testing of that IC package at that test station. When that test station has completed testing of the IC package, one of the indicators
112
,
114
,
116
,
118
, and
120
corresponding to that test station turns on to indicate that the testing of the IC package is complete. For example, such an indicator may be comprised of an LED (light emitting diode) which lights up when testing of the IC package is complete.
Each indicator corresponding to a test station may also include a mechanism for indicating whether the IC package passed or failed the testing at that test station. For example, an indicator may be comprised of a first LED (light emitting diode) which lights up to a first color such as green when the IC package has passed the testing at that test station, and of a second LED (light emitting diode) which lights up to a second color such as red when the IC package has failed the testing at that test station.
During operation of the IC package test system
100
, in the prior art, when testing of an IC package is complete at a test station, the operator still holds the tray
200
with one hand and holds the suction pen
230
with the other hand to unload the tested IC package from the test station for transferring the tested IC package back to the tray
200
. Such loading, testing, and unloading is repeated for each of the IC packages from the tray
200
. In addition, such loading, testing, and unloading is repeated for each of the. IC packages from multiple trays. A typical volume of manufacture of IC packages may be more than 7,000 IC packages per day for example. Even with such a high quantity of IC packages that are tested, an operator constantly holds a tray of IC packages in one hand and the suction pen
230
in the other hand during the repeated loading, testing, and unloading of the high quantity of IC packages to and from the test stations
102
,
104
,
106
,
108
, and
110
, in the prior art.
During a work day, which may in some cases include an 8 to 12 hour work shift, the operator experiences hand fatigue in constantly holding trays of IC packages throughout the work shift. In addition with constant handling of the trays of IC packages, the IC packages may become undesirably contaminated. The hand fatigue of the operator is especially prone to result in mishandling the trays of IC packages by the operator such that the IC packages become undesirably damaged. In addition, the operator may confuse which of the IC packages of a tray have already been tested and which of the IC packages of that tray have not yet been tested. As a result, some IC packages may go untested, and time may be wasted in retesting IC packages that have already been tested.
Thus, a mechanism is desired for easing the handling of trays of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a general aspect of the present invention, a sliding tray holder is coupled to an IC (integrated circuit) package test system having a plurality of test stations for holding the trays of IC packages during testing of a high quantity of IC packages through at least one of the plurality of test stations.
In a general aspect of the present invention, the sliding tray lolder includes a platform for holding a first tray of untested IC packages and for holding a second tray of tested IC packages. Each untested IC package from the first tray of untested IC packages is loaded to at least one of the plurality of test stations for testing of the untested IC package such that the untested IC package becomes a tested IC package. The tested IC package is unloaded from one of the plurality of test stations to the second tray of tested IC packages. The platform holds the first tray of untested IC packages and the second tray of tested IC packages such that an operator does not hold the first tray and the second tray during loading of the untested IC packages to the plurality of test stations from the first tray and during unloading of the, tested IC packages from the plurality of test stations to the second tray.
A linear slide holds the platform and guides the platform holding the first tray and the second tray along the plurality of test stations as the platform is moved along the plurality of test stations during loading of the untested IC packages to the plurality of test stations from the f
Heng Yiak Khian
Koh Hock Chuan
Lim Jin Wee
Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Choi Monica H.
Nguyen Jimmy
Sherry Michael
LandOfFree
Sliding tray holder for ease in handling IC packages during... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sliding tray holder for ease in handling IC packages during..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sliding tray holder for ease in handling IC packages during... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2837713