723results about "Radiofrequency circuit testing" patented technology

An electronic diagnostic device for testing electronic monitoring tags for devices such as replaceable modules for a printing apparatus includes a tag reader with a reader wireless communication element. The tag reader is adapted to read tag diagnostic information from an electronic monitoring tag. The electronic diagnostic device further includes a data processor in communication with the tag reader. The data processor is adapted to determine from the tag diagnostic data whether the electronic monitoring tag is operating within predetermined parameters, to identify one of a predetermined set of error categories if the electronic monitoring tag is operating outside the predetermined parameters, and to generate error category information. The electronic diagnostic device further includes a results communication element adapted to communicate the error category information generated by the data processor. The diagnostic device may also communicate correction information to the electronic monitoring tag.

A high frequency component is constructed such that the characteristics of a high frequency circuit that cannot be measured only by an outwardly extending terminal electrode are easily measured at the final-product stage. In the high frequency component, a substrate has an electrode pattern provided including a signal measuring electrode pad. Additionally, chip components are mounted on the substrate. A metal cover has a hole provided near the signal measuring electrode pad. Through the hole, a probe of a measuring apparatus is inserted from the outside to abut with the electrode pad. With the arrangement, a voltage signal obtained at a predetermined point of the high frequency circuit is measured.

A non-contact tester for electronic circuits consists of an electronic circuit and independent scanning head, in combination. The electronic circuit includes a micro-fabricated wireless i / o cell and means for sending and receiving signals via the wireless i / o cell. The independent scanning head has a wireless i / o cell that is compatible with the wireless i / o cell on the electronic circuit. This enables data to be exchanged with the electronic circuit to confirm proper functioning of the electronic circuit.

A non-contact tester for electronic circuits consists of an electronic circuit and independent scanning head, in combination. The electronic circuit includes a micro-fabricated wireless i / o cell and means for sending and receiving signals via the wireless i / o cell. The independent scanning head has a wireless i / o cell that is compatible with the wireless i / o cell on the electronic circuit. This enables data to be exchanged with the electronic circuit to confirm proper functioning of the electronic circuit.

A modularized probe head for high frequency probing is provided. The probe head mainly includes a probe head, a mounting board and an interposer between the probe head and the mounting board. The probe head has a plurality of cavities on its back surface. A plurality of decoupling components are installed inside the cavities and are electrically coupled to the ground / power circuitry of the probe head via by-pass circuitry. The interposer has a bottom surface corresponding to the back surface of the probe head, and includes a plurality of contact ends on the bottom surface. Some of the contact ends electrically contact the decoupling components and electrically coupled to the ground plane of the mounting board.

Wirelessly testing an RFID tag before it is packaged or otherwise entered into a process reserved for “working” RFID tags is described. Various processes that employ such wireless testing as well as various “on-die” RFID tag antenna designs for facilitating the wireless testing are also described.

A receiver system which may be implemented in an integrated circuit device and suitable for use in automotive radar systems such as collision avoidance systems, includes self test circuitry whereby a local oscillator test signal is generated by an on-board frequency multiplier and mixed in a down-conversion mixer with an RF test signal. The RF test signal is generated on the device by up-conversion of an externally generated low-frequency test signal with the local oscillator test signal. Baseband components may also be checked using test signals of suitable frequency divided down from the local oscillator test signal by a programmable frequency divider. This self test arrangement obviates any need for applying externally generated RF test signals to the IC device.

The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for testing a radio frequency identification reader. The radio frequency identification reader transmits a test signal to a diagnostic tag during a diagnostic period. Responsive to receiving a return signal from the diagnostic tag, the radio frequency identification reader compares the return signal with an expected return signal to form a comparison. The radio frequency identification reader identifies an operational status for the radio frequency identification reader using the comparison.

A method and apparatus for determining capacitance of wires in an integrated circuit is described. The capacitance information derived according to the invention can be used, for example, to calibrate a parasitic extraction engine or to calibrate an integrated circuit fabrication process. The capacitance information can also be used for timing and noise circuit simulations, particularly for deep sub-Micron circuit design simulations. Briefly, the invention allows measurement of both total capacitance of a line and cross coupling capacitance between two lines by applying predetermined voltage signals to specific circuit elements. The resulting current allows simple computation of total capacitance and cross coupling capacitance. Multiple cross coupling capacitance can be measured with a single device, thus improving the art of library generation, and the overall method is free of uncertainties related to transistor capacitance couplings. The capacitance values obtained can then be used to calibrate procedures, processes, devices, etc.

An on-chip receiver sensitivity test mechanism for use in an integrated RF transmitter wherein the transmitter and the receiver share the same oscillator. The mechanism obviates the need to use expensive RF signal generator test equipment with built-in modulation capability and instead permits the use of very low cost external RF test equipment. The invention utilizes circuitry already existing in the transceiver, namely the modulation circuitry and local oscillator, to perform sensitivity testing. The on-chip LO is used to generate the modulated test signal that otherwise would need to be provided by expensive external RF test equipment with modulation capability. The modulated LO signal is mixed with an externally generated unmodulated CW RF signal to generate a modulated signal at IF which is subsequently processed by the remainder of the receiver chain. The recovered data bits are compared using an on-chip BER meter or counter and a BER reading is generated. The BER reading is used either externally or by an on-chip processor or controller to establish a pass / fail indication for the chip.

A Transmission Line Pulse (“TLP”) measurement system for testing devices such as integrated circuits (“ICs”), and especially for testing the electrostatic discharge (“ESD”) protection structures connected to terminals on such ICs. The TLP measurement system measures the pulsed voltage and / or current of a device under test (“DUT”) by recording voltage and / or current pulse waveforms traveling in a constant impedance cable to and from the DUT. The pulses going to and returning from the DUT are processed to create signal replicas of the voltage and current pulses that actually occurred at the DUT. Oscilloscope operating settings optimize the recording of these signal replicas by improving the measurement signal-to-noise ratio. This improved TLP system is especially useful when very short width pulses on the order of less than 10 nanoseconds are used to test the DUT's response.

An integrated circuit device is provided having one or more pairs of ring oscillator circuits. Each ring oscillator circuit of the one or more pairs of ring oscillator circuits is configured to connect to at least one voltage source capable of applying a stress to a ring oscillator circuit. One or more frequency measurement circuits are each electrically connected to a respective pair of the one or more pairs of ring oscillator circuits. Each frequency measurement circuit is configured to measure a stress induced change in frequency difference of the respective pair of the one or more pairs of ring oscillator circuits.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag tester / programmer and marker are described. A surface is in contact with a web of RFID tags. The surface has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the surface is grounded to ground tags of the web that are in contact with the first portion. A radio frequency (RF) source transmits a RF signal to interact with a tag adjacent to the second portion of the surface. The RF signal may be a signal for testing the tag and / or a signal for programming the tag.