US2007007978A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and Apparatus for Non-Contact Testing and Diagnosing Electrical Paths Through Connectors on Circuit Assemblies

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 28, 2004Filed: Sep 6, 2006Published: Jan 11, 2007
Est. expiryApr 28, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Kenneth P. ParkerChris R. JacobsenMyron J. Schneider
G01R 31/52G01R 31/70G01R 31/312G01R 31/54
42
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Claims

Abstract

A device for enabling testing of electrical paths through a circuit assembly is presented. The device may include a non-contact connector test probe for a testing a connector of the circuit assembly. A method for testing continuity of electrical paths through a circuit assembly is presented. In the method, one or more nodes of the circuit assembly are stimulated, connector pins of a connector on the circuit assembly are capacitively coupled to a non-contact connector test probe, and an electrical characteristic is measured by a tester coupled to the non-contact connector test probe to determine continuity of electrical paths through the circuit assembly.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A non-contact test probe for testing continuity of electrical paths through a connector of a circuit assembly, comprising: 
 a bottom faraday shield plate with sensing apertures;    a top faraday shield plate and    a sense plate disposed between the top and bottom faraday shield plates.    
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-contact test probe is configured to capacitively couple with electrical paths through the connector of a circuit assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the non-contact test probe is configured to capacitively couple with a capacitive lead-frame assembly of a tester.  
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the test probe comprises a faraday shielded capacitive sense plate.  
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the test probe further comprises a positioning guide for facilitating positioning of the test probe over a guide channel and connector pins of the connector.  
   
   
       6 . non-contact test probe for testing continuity of electrical paths through a connector of a circuit assembly, comprising: 
 a bottom faraday shield plate with sensing apertures;    a top faraday shield plate;    a sense plate disposed between the top and bottom faraday shield plates; and    a positioning guide for facilitating positioning of the test probe over a guide channel and connector pins of the connector.    
   
   
       7 . An apparatus for testing continuity of electrical paths through a connector of a circuit assembly, comprising: 
 a non-contact test probe configured to capacitively coupled with connector pins of the connector; and    a tester configured to stimulate nodes on the circuit assembly coupled to the electrical paths through the connector of the circuit assembly and measure electrical characteristics of the connector sensed by the capacitive sense plate.    
   
   
       8 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the tester is further configured to compare the measured electrical characteristic to at least one threshold to assess continuities of electrical paths through the connector of a circuit assembly.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the tester further comprises a capacitive lead-frame assembly.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the non-contact test probe further comprises: 
 a bottom faraday shield plate with sensing apertures;    a top faraday shield plate; and    a sense plate disposed between the top and bottom faraday shield plates.    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the non-contact test probe further comprises: 
 a positioning guide for facilitating positioning of the test probe over a guide channel and connector pins of the connector.    
   
   
       12 . An apparatus in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a dielectric disposed between the sense plate and the top and bottom faraday shield plates.    
   
   
       13 . A method for manufacturing a non-contact test probe for testing connectors, the method comprising: 
 forming a top faraday shield plate;    forming a sense plate on the top faraday shield plate; and    forming a bottom faraday shield plate on the sense plate.    
   
   
       14 . A method for manufacturing a non-contact test probe for testing connectors in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 forming dielectric layers between the sense plate and the top and bottom faraday shield plates.    
   
   
       15 . A method for manufacturing a non-contact test probe for testing connectors in accordance with  claim 13 , using standard printed circuit board manufacturing techniques.  
   
   
       16 . A method for testing continuity of electrical paths through a connector on a circuit assembly, comprising: 
 capacitively coupling pins of the socket to a non-contact test probe;    stimulating one or more nodes of the connector;    measuring an electrical characteristic; and    comparing the measured electrical characteristic to at least one threshold to assess continuities of electrical paths through the connector.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the measured electrical characteristic is capacitance.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the measured electrical characteristic is measured via a capacitive lead-frame assembly.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the non-contact test probe comprises a faraday shielded sense plate.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the non-contact test probe further comprises a positioning guide for facilitating alignment of the non-contact test probe with a channel of the connector.  
   
   
       21 . A method for testing continuity of electrical paths through a circuit assembly, comprising: 
 positioning a non-contact test probe above a connector of the circuit assembly;    stimulating one or more nodes of the circuit assembly;    measuring an electrical characteristic;    comparing the measured electrical characteristic to at least one threshold to assess continuities of electrical paths through the circuit assembly.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the measured electrical characteristic is capacitance.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the measured electrical characteristic is measured via a capacitive lead-frame assembly.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the non-contact test probe comprises a faraday shielded sense plate.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the non-contact test probe further comprises a positioning guide for facilitating alignment of the non-contact test probe with a channel of the connector.  
   
   
       26 . A method for determining continuity of electrical paths through a circuit assembly with a connector, comprising: 
 stimulating one or more nodes of the circuit assembly;    measuring one or more electrical characteristics of the circuit assembly by capacitive coupling to connector pins of the connector with a faraday shielded, non-contact test probe; and    using one or more of the measured electrical characteristics to assess continuity of electrical paths through the circuit assembly.    
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the faraday shielded, non-contact test probe further comprises a positioning guide for ensuring positioning of the test probe over the connector pins via a channel guide in the connector.

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