Integrated circuit sorter that automatically prevents binning of

Abstract

An integrated circuit sorter automatically prevents the binning of a tested integrated circuit into a wrong container, such as a wrong tube, depending on the results of testing the integrated circuit. The automated integrated circuit sorter includes a respective switch for indicating that each output carries one of good or bad integrated circuits. A container identifier at each output identifies the type of container placed at the output. The container is determined to be for carrying good integrated circuits or bad integrated circuits. If the type of container placed at the output does not correspond to the type of integrated circuits at the output, then an integrated circuit stopper automatically blocks the admission of those integrated circuits into that container. The container identifier includes a light emitter and an optical sensor. A data processor determines whether a correct container or a wrong container is at the output. The data processor communicates with the integrated circuit sorter for affecting action of the integrated circuit stopper via the integrated circuit sorter. A data processor disable jumper may be coupled to the integrated circuit sorter to allow manual control of the integrated circuit stopper. Such a data processor disable jumper is especially advantageous in the event any component of the present invention is inoperative when the integrated circuit sorter may advantageously be manually controlled.