Automatic system-level test apparatus and method

Abstract

An automatic system-level test apparatus that includes a testing computer and at least one image sensor. The testing computer is used to carry and test an integrated circuit. The testing computer together with the integrated circuit incorporated therein forms a system-completed computer capable of conducting a system-level test. The testing computer includes at least one output device for outputting test images while running a pre-determined test program. An image sensor captures the images produced by the output device. The captured image is compared with an original image stored inside an image database to determine if a difference between the captured image and the stored image.

1 . An automatic system-level test apparatus for testing integrated circuits, comprising: 
 at least one testing computer for carrying and testing at least one integrated circuit, wherein the testing computer includes at least one output device for outputting the test results of the integrated circuit;    at least one automatic plug/unplug apparatus for plugging the integrated circuit to the testing computer and unplugging the integrated circuit from the testing computer;    at least one image sensor for capturing an image from the output device; and    at least one control unit electrically connected to the testing computer, the automatic plug/unplug apparatus and the image sensor for controlling the movement of the automatic plug/unplug apparatus and execution of a system-level testing with the testing computer,    wherein the testing computer with the integrated circuit incorporated therein forms a system-completed computer, and the image captured by the image sensor from the output device is compared with an original image stored inside an image database so as to detect a difference between the two images.    
     
     
         2 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the test apparatus further comprises a connector through which the integrated circuit is electrically connected to the testing computer.  
     
     
         3 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the test apparatus further comprises an audio sensor connected to the control unit for monitoring any audio output from the testing computer.  
     
     
         4 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the test apparatus further comprises a temperature control device for controlling the temperature of the integrated circuit.  
     
     
         5 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the automatic plug/unplug apparatus includes a robotic arm.  
     
     
         6 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is a computer.  
     
     
         7 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the test apparatus further comprises: 
 an integrated circuit supply apparatus for containing the integrated circuits before testing;    an integrated circuit binning apparatus for containing integrated circuits after testing; and    an automatic transport apparatus for transporting the integrated circuits.    
     
     
         8 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the test apparatus further comprises a temperature-presetting device for adjusting the temperature of the integrated circuit before engaging with the testing computer.  
     
     
         9 . The test apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the test apparatus includes two image sensors and the testing computer includes two output devices, the two output devices are an CRT display and liquid crystal display, and one of the image sensors captures images on the CRT display and the other image sensor captures images on the liquid crystal display.  
     
     
         10 . A method of performing a system-level test for an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of: 
 engaging said integrated circuit with a testing computer so that the testing computer with said integrated circuit engaged therein forms a system-completed computer;    executing a pre-defined testing program in the testing computer to perform the system-level test on the integrated circuit;    capturing an image from an output device coupled to the testing computer by at least one image sensor; and    comparing the image captured by the image sensor with an original image stored inside an image database to determine if a difference exists between the captured image and the stored image.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of engaging the integrated circuit with the testing computer includes transferring the integrated circuit from an integrated circuit supply apparatus to the testing computer and connecting the integrated circuit with the testing computer by using an automatic transport apparatus and an automatic plug/unplug apparatus.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein after the step of comparing the database image with the captured image, further comprises transporting the tested integrated circuit from the testing computer to an integrated circuit binning apparatus by using an automatic transport apparatus and an automatic plug/unplug apparatus.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one image sensor comprises a first image sensor to capture a first image shown on a CRT display and a second image sensor to capture a second image shown on a LCD display, and said comparing step comprising the following steps: comparing the first image captured by the first image sensor with a first image stored in the testing computer and comparing the second image captured by the second image sensor with a second image stored in the testing computer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the image sensors include a charge-coupled device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the image sensors include a CMOS image sensor.  
     
     
         16 . An image-sensing system inside an integrated circuit test apparatus, comprising: 
 an image output device for outputting images of a testing computer incorporating said integrated circuit and running a preset testing program; and    an image sensor for capturing the output image.    
     
     
         17 . The image-sensing system of  claim 16 , wherein the system further comprises an image database containing a standard image data for comparing with said output image captured by the image sensor.  
     
     
         18 . The image-sensing system of  claim 17 , wherein the system further comprises a control unit for controlling the operation of the image output device, the image sensor and the image database.  
     
     
         19 . The image-sensing system of  claim 16 , wherein the integrated circuit test apparatus is an automatic system-level test apparatus.  
     
     
         20 . The image-sensing system of  claim 18 , wherein said control unit is a computer.