Adv Antest Corporation

Advantest America R&d Center, Inc.

Leon Chen

Ankan Pramanick

Mark Elston

Toshiaki Adachi

Rotem Nahum

Harsanjeet Singh

Rebecca Toy

Hironori Maeda

Ramachandran Krishnaswamy

Chandra Pinjala

Robert F Sauer

Padmaja Nalluri

Boilam Phan

Conrad Mukai

Jungtsung Liu

Youbi Katsu

Yoshihumi Tahara

Jim Hanrahan

A system for performing an automated test is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of work orders and a plurality of constraints for scheduling a plurality of tests on a plurality of DUTs using automated test equipment (ATE) available on a production floor, wherein the ATE comprises a plurality of test cells, and wherein each test cell comprises a plurality of testers and an automated handler. The method further comprises developing a test plan to execute the plurality of tests, wherein the test plan is customized in accordance with the information in the plurality of work orders and the plurality of constraints. Finally, the method comprises scheduling the plurality of tests to the plurality of test cells to maximize throughput of the plurality of DUTs.

Optimization and scheduling of the handling of devices in the automation process

New cooling control techniques suitable for use in the testing of devices are disclosed. The new cooling control techniques are an improvement over existing cooling control techniques because the new cooling control techniques utilize inputs that are more representative of actual thermal conditions experienced by a DUT (device under test) and/or are more representative of various other parameters, such as DUT power consumption/dissipation, during testing. Also, the new cooling control techniques offer flexibility with respect to the cooling control algorithm to employ for the DUT during testing.

DUT testing with configurable cooling control using DUT internal temperature data

A system for performing an automated test is disclosed. The system comprises a first user computer operable to load a first test plan from a first user to a control server and a second user computer operable to load a second test plan from a second user to the control server. The system further comprises a tester comprising at least one rack for deploying a plurality of primitives. The control server is communicatively coupled to the first user computer, the second user computer and to the tester, wherein the control server is operable to allocate a first subset of primitives to the first test plan and manage execution of the first test plan on the first subset of primitives, and also operable to concurrently allocate a second subset of primitives to the second test plan and manage execution of the second test plan on the second subset of primitives.

Test system supporting multiple users using different applications

A system for performing an automated test is disclosed. The system comprises a user computer operable to load a test program from a user to a control server, wherein the test program comprises a plurality of test flows. The system further comprises a tester deploying a plurality of primitives. Further, the control server is communicatively coupled to the user computer and to the tester, wherein the control server is operable to download the test program to a primitive from the plurality of primitives, and wherein the control server is further operable to execute a first test flow from the plurality of test flows on a first DUT within the primitive and concurrently execute a second test flow from the plurality of test flows on a second DUT within the primitive.

Test program flow control

A method for performing tests using automated test equipment (ATE) is presented. The method comprises obtaining information concerning a test class using a graphical user interface. Further, it comprises generating a first header file automatically, wherein the first header file comprises the information concerning the test class. Next, it comprises importing the first header file into a test plan operable to execute using a tester operating system wherein the test plan comprises instances of the test class. It further comprises, generating a second header file from the first header file automatically, wherein the second header file is a header file for the test class. The method also comprises validating the test plan using the tester operating system. Finally, the method comprises loading the test plan and a compiled module onto the tester operating system for execution, wherein the compiled module is a compiled translation of the test class.

Automated generation of a test class pre-header from an interactive graphical user interface

A method for debugging test procedures for automated device testing is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a command to update at least one modified test procedure modified during a first debugging session and saving state information for a test plan, wherein the state information comprises information regarding a breakpoint entry location, and wherein the modified test procedure is invoked within the test plan. The method subsequently comprises suspending execution of the test plan and unloading the modified test procedure. It also comprises compiling the modified test procedure to produce a compiled file and then reloading the test procedure into the test plan using the compiled file. Finally, it comprises resuming execution of the modified test procedure in a second debugging session and breaking the execution during the second debugging session at a breakpoint corresponding to the breakpoint entry location.

Implementing edit and update functionality within a development environment used to compile test plans for automated semiconductor device testing

A method for using shared pins in a concurrent test execution environment is disclosed. The method relates to scheduling tests in concurrently executing test flows for automated test equipment (ATE) in a way so that resources can be shared between the test flows. The method comprises determining if any of a plurality of splits used by a first test contains at least one resource that is shared, wherein the first test and a second test are sequenced for execution in two separate concurrently executing test flows. The method further comprises determining if the first test should execute before the second test if the split is associated with resources required by both the second and first tests. Finally the method comprises reserving the split containing the at least one shared resource for access by the first test before beginning execution of the first test.

Using shared pins in a concurrent test execution environment

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.

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

A method for managing multiple hardware test module versions, software components, and tester operating system (TOS) versions in a modular test system is disclosed. The method includes installing the TOS versions compatible with the modular test system in an archive and installing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions in the archive. The method further includes creating system profiles for describing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions and the TOS versions, selecting a system profile for the modular test system, where the system profile includes a set of compatible vendor software components and a selected TOS for testing a particular hardware test module version, and activating the selected TOS on the modular test system.

Method and system for performing installation and configuration management of tester instrument modules

A distributed operating system for a semiconductor test system, such as automated test equipment (ATE), is described. The operating system includes a host operating system for enabling control of one or more site controllers by a system controller. One or more local operating systems, each associated with a site controller, enable control of one or more test modules by an associated site controller. Each test module performs testing on a corresponding device-under-test at a test site.

Method and apparatus for testing integrated circuits

A method for simulating a modular test system is disclosed. The method includes providing a controller, where the controller controls at least one vendor module and its corresponding device under test (DUT) model, creating a simulation framework for establishing standard interfaces between the at least one vendor module and its corresponding DUT model, configuring the simulation framework, and simulating the modular test system using the simulation framework.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Leon Chen