Hewlett-packard Company

Darrell B Johnsrud

Darvin Dale Raph

Carroll E Morris, Jr

Mark A Mathieu

Robert E Marker, Iii

Robert E Balliew

A method for generating a functional test for a loaded printed circuit board automatically generates a test for a cluster of elements which may be tested together as a functional unit by pattern matching with pre-defined cluster models contained in a library. The method includes the following steps. First, an electrical description of the printed circuit board is analyzed to identify any clusters of elements which match any pre-defined cluster models. When a match is found, a generic test routine is retrieved from the model and used to generate a functional test for the cluster of elements on the printed circuit board. Thereafter, tests are generated for remaining, non-clustered devices by matching each device to a generic model within a device models library, and then retrieving a generic test routine therefrom.

Method for generating functional tests for printed circuit boards based

A method for automatically generating an in-circuit board test for a circuit board, comprising a plurality of Interconnected digital devices, selectively provides conditioning only to devices which need conditioning. Devices which need conditioning include outputs which should be conditioned prior to being back-driven and problem devices (such as oscillators) which interfere with the testing of other devices. The device outputs which require conditioning are flagged in a device models library which contains predetermined generic test models for the devices on the board. The method for conditioning back-driven devices comprises selecting a device under test (DUT), receiving electrical interconnect data for the devices on the circuit board, determining from the electrical interconnect data which device outputs are driving the inputs of the DUT, determining from the device models library which back-driven outputs should be conditioned, and conditioning any back-driven outputs which are flagged CONDITION in the device models library. The method for conditioning problem devices includes flagging the problem devices in the device models library, determining whether any problem devices exist on the board, determining from the electrical interconnect data which devices are affected by a problem device, and indicating for each affected devcice which of said problem device outputs are to be conditioned prior to testing said affected device. If the DUT is an affected device, then any problem device outputs which affect it will be conditioned prior to testing the DUT. Generation of the in-circuit test is completed by retrieving from the device models library conditioning methods for each device to be conditioned, combining the conditioning methods together to form a test statement, retrieving a test method for testing the DUT from the device models library, and then merging the test statement for conditioning with the test method for testing the DUT.

Method for selectively conditioning integrated circuit outputs for

A method for use in an in-circuit tester automatically determines which test sequences must be regenerated as a result of a board modification, and automatically regenerates only the test sequences affected by the modification.

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Loveland, CO, United States of America

Darrell B Johnsrud