Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Colorado Vnet, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

John E McDermid

Cherif Ahrikencheikh

William P Darbie

Rodney A Browen

David T Crook

Kay C Lannen

Kenneth Paul Parker

John M Heumann

Ed O Schlotzhauer

Ronald K Kerschner

Philip N King

Ronald J Peiffer

Matthew L Snook

William J Nicolay

Jamie P Romero

Stig Herman Oresjo

Carl Wilmer Thatcher

Soil moisture sensor systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary soil moisture sensor system includes a sensor configured to receive soil between parallel plates. A capacitive measurement circuit is operatively associated with the parallel sensor. A processor receives input from the capacitive measurement circuit. The processor determines moisture content of the soil between the parallel plates of the sensor based on the flowing relationship: where L is the length of the sensor, H is the height of the sensor, and d is the separation between the parallel plates of the sensor.

Soil moisture sensor systems and methods

Water measurement auto-networks and methods of operation are disclosed herein. An exemplary method may include determining a water level at a first water measurement station in an auto-network. The method may also include reducing power to at least a transmitter at the first water measurement station to conserve battery power during an inactive state. The method may further include increasing power to the transmitter only at predetermined times to communicate the water measurement data to a second water measurement station in the auto-network.

Water measurement auto-networks

Water measurement apparatus and methods of operation. An exemplary implementation of water measurement apparatus comprises a measurement circuit outputting a voltage. A processor is operatively associated with the measurement circuit to receive the voltage and determine a capacitance value proportional to a water level. Computer readable program code is provided in computer readable storage and executable by the processor. The computer readable program code includes program code for determining the water level based on the capacitance value. Water measurement apparatus may also be implemented in an auto-network of water measurement stations.

Water measurement apparatus and methods

A method and apparatus are disclosed for enabling reconfiguration of a test system. The test system includes an adapter assembly () and a tester electronics assembly (). The adapter assembly () includes two probe plates (), which hold a probe field (). The two probe plates () include a plurality of holes () extending through each probe plate (). Each hole () includes a flange area () for accommodating deflection of the probes (), inserted in the holes () extending through the probe plates (). The flange area () and the use of flexible probes () facilitate a deflection and an offset () of the probes () in the probe plates (). A tester assembly () includes a plurality of wear pads () on the topside of a printed circuit board (). The wear pads () positioned to engage the bottom end of the probes (). Configurable logic elements () located on the underside of the printed circuit board () are used to generating and receive test-signals, depending on where the probes make contact with the wear pads () on the printed circuit board ().

Method and apparatus for configurable hardware augmented program generation

A method and apparatus are disclosed for enabling reconfiguration of a test system. The test system includes an adapter assembly and a tester electronics assembly. The adapter assembly includes two probe plates, which hold a probe field. The two probe plates include a plurality of holes extending through each probe plate. Each hole includes a flange area for accommodating deflection of the probes, inserted in the holes extending through the probe plates. The flange area and the use of flexible probes facilitate a deflection and an offset of the probes in the probe plates. A tester assembly includes a plurality of wear pads on the topside of a printed circuit board. The wear pads positioned to engage the bottom end of the probes. Configurable logic elements located on the underside of the printed circuit board are used to generating and receive test-signals, depending on where the probes make contact with the wear pads on the printed circuit board.

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining the electrical continuity of an element of an electrical component, for example, a pin of a printed circuit assembly. The method comprises the steps of supplying an electrical stimulus to the element of the electrical component, positioning a sensor adjacent the element of the electrical component, the sensor having multiple axes along which the sensor is responsive to magnetic fields, receiving magnetic field signals created by the element of the electrical component with the sensor, producing electrical signals indicative of the magnetic field strength sensed by the sensor in multiple directions that correspond to the multiple axes, and comparing the electrical signals with predetermined limits associated with the element being tested. In a preferred arrangement, the sensor is provided with three axes which are oriented in orthogonal directions such that the magnetic signals from the element can be detected in three dimensional space.

Multiple axis magnetic test for open integrated circuit pins

A system that can test individual components having tolerances on a circuit board without complete access to every node on the board is disclosed. The system uses a method that develops test limits from a model of the board, component tolerances, and a list of accessible nodes. A method of reducing the complexity of the test problem by limiting the number of components under consideration is also disclosed. A method of reducing the complexity of the test problem by limiting the number of nodes under consideration is also disclosed. A method of picking nodes to apply stimulus to a board is also disclosed. Finally, a method of correcting for certain parasitics associated with tester hardware is disclosed.

Method and apparatus for selecting test point nodes of a group of components having both accessible and inaccessible nodes for limited access circuit test

A method for evaluating and correcting a model of an electronic circuit. A list is created which comprises the minimum number of components that must be specified by the operator in order to be able to compute values for the remaining circuit components. Correction of circuit models can be performed even in cases of limited accessibility to the circuit's nodes.

Method and apparatus for electronic circuit model correction

Method and apparatus for board model correction

Method and apparatus for selecting stimulus locations during limited access circuit test

Method and apparatus for selecting targeted components in limited access test

Method and apparatus for correcting for detector inaccuracies in limited access testing

Method and apparatus for limited access circuit test

An electromagnetic probe is integrated within an integrated circuit or mounted within an IC package to provide a capability for testing continuity between the integrated circuit and a substrate to which the integrated circuit is mounted. In a first embodiment, capacitive test probes are integrated within the integrated circuit, underneath bonding pads. In a second embodiment, Hall-effect devices are integrated within the integrated circuit underneath bonding pads. In a third embodiment, an inductive loop is integrated within the integrated circuit underneath bonding pads. In a fourth embodiment, an IC package assembly includes an internal capacitive test probe for electrical continuity testing. An internal shield may also be used as a capacitive test probe. In a fifth embodiment, an IC package assembly includes an inductive loop within the package for electrical continuity testing. The integrated or intrapackage test probes provide electromagnetic coupling to bonding pads or to a lead frame and to bonding wires (if present), to detect whether there is electrical continuity between an integrated circuit bonding pad or lead frame and conductors on an external substrate. The integrated or intrapackage test probes enable continuity testing for direct-bonding with no package, or for a package assembly even if the package assembly includes grounded shielding or a grounded heat sink.

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Loveland, CO, United States of America

John E McDermid