Method and structure to develop a test program for semiconductor integrated circuits

US8255198B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ADVANTEST CORPORATION · JP

Inventors

• Ramachandran Krishnaswamy · Cupertino, US
• Harsanjeet Singh · Danville, US
• Ankan Pramanick · San Jose, US
• Mark Elston · San Jose, US
• Leon Chen · San Jose, US
• Toshiaki Adachi · San Jose, US
• Yoshihumi Tahara · Santa Clara, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 26, 2010
• Grant date: Aug 28, 2012
• Expiry date: Apr 15, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R31/31907
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Test program development for a semiconductor test system, such as automated test equipment (ATE), using object-oriented constructs is described. The invention provides a method for describing test system resources, test system configuration, module configuration, test sequence, test plan, test condition, test pattern, and timing information in general-purpose object-oriented constructs, e.g., C++ objects and classes. In particular, the modularity of program development is suitable for developing test programs for an open architecture semiconductor test system.