High-density optically-addressable circuit board probe panel and method for use
US5177437A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jan 5, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/308
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for testing a circuit board is provided employing a probe panel having a high density of photoelectrically addressable electrodes, each of the electrodes being coupled to a photoelectric switch connected to an outside source such as a voltage strip, and further employing photoelectric means for selectively activating each photoelectric switch as desired to apply test signals to selected locations of a circuit board. In one embodiment, a light panel having an array of pixels having a form factor scalably matching the electrode array is used to activate the photoelectric switches. A second embodiment uses a second probe panel on the circuit board side opposite the first probe panel. The desired light panel is a liquid crystal display panel using a laser diode as a light source. Addressable light panels permit preprogrammed test patterns to be applied through a programmable signal driving device, such as a computer, that is programmed to light only those pixels desired to match the pattern of the printed circuit board under test. Since many printed circuit boards are first designed on a CAD system, the resultant design can be used as the data to define the test pattern fo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.