Schlumberger Technologies, Inc.

David K Cheung

Egbert Graeve

Burnell G West

Richard F Herlein

Sergio A Sanielevici

A plurality of 'pin slice' circuits, each associated with a separate pin of the device under test (DUT). Each pin slice circuit contains its own memory and registers and circuitry for generating the necessary test signals. Test data is loaded into the individual pin slice circuits in a vertical word fashion, such that all of the bits of the vertical word correspond to the individual pin, allowing the characteristics of an individual pin test sequence to be varied independently of the other pins. A participate memory is used to select different groupings of the pin slice circuits which are to be programmed in parallel when a group of pins are to receive the same test signals. Separate enable signals to the various stages of the pin slice circuits allow different aspects of the test pattern to be also varied independently.

Automatic test equipment system using pin slice architecture

Driver circuits are provided which also serve as termination and clamp in an IC tester. When it is to drive a port of a device under test (DUT) between two predetermined voltage levels, the driver's I/O terminal is switched between two predetermined voltage levels with an output impedance that matches the transmission line between the driver circuit and the DUT. When the DUT's port is supplying an output signal, the driver circuit can be programmed to provide one of two types of termination. If the DUT's port is specified as capable of driving the load, the transmission line between the driver circuit and the DUT is terminated by switching the driver circuit's I/O terminal to a predetermined voltage level with an impedance of Z.sub.0. If the DUT's port is not specified as being capable of driving such a termination load, the driver circuit functions like a Z-clamp circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Milpitas, CA, United States of America

David K Cheung