US-12625177-B2 - Automatic board probing station

US12625177B2US 12625177 B2US12625177 B2US 12625177B2US-12625177-B2

Abstract

Systems and methods herein are for an automatic board probing station in which a plurality of probe tips are associated with a plurality of probe arms and with a plurality of motorized connectors, where the plurality of motorized connectors is to cause individual ones of the plurality of probe tips and individual ones of the plurality of probe arms to be movable independently, and where the plurality of probe tips is to communicate probe signals with a circuit analysis system and is to concurrently probe a plurality of probe points of a circuit board.

Inventors

Akhilesh Sandeep Thakur
Grant Michael Skidmore
Ryan Kelsey Albright
Frans Johannes Fourie
Jorian Matias Bruslind
Kevin Matthew Hoser
Zachary Jacob Watkins
Audrey Grace Cummings
Jose Eduardo Barcenas
Daniel Garanton

Assignees

NVIDIA CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230216

Claims (20)

1 . A system for probing a circuit board, comprising: a controller mounted on a gantry, the controller to move multi-axially on the gantry; a plurality of probe arms mechanically connected to the controller, each probe arm extending from the controller and comprising a plurality of arm branches; a plurality of probe tips to communicate probe signals with a circuit analysis system and to concurrently probe a plurality of probe points of the circuit board; and a plurality of motorized connectors operated by the controller to allow independent movement of the plurality of arm branches and probe tips, comprising: a first motorized connector to mechanically connect a first arm branch to the controller, a final motorized connector to mechanically connect a final arm branch to a probe tip, and a plurality of intermediate motorized connectors connecting a plurality of intermediate arm branches.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a robot or the gantry to mount the controller, the controller to cause the robot or the gantry to move multi-axially and to cause movement signals to the plurality of motorized connectors, the movement signals to cause individual ones of the plurality of probe tips and individual ones of the plurality of probe arms to be movable independently in multi-axial directions.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a probe hub to communicate the probe signals between the plurality of probe points and the circuit analysis system.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a robot or the gantry to mount the controller that communicates multi-axial movement to one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors; a probe hub to communicate the probe signals between the plurality of probe points and the circuit analysis system; and an adapter to couple the controller to one or more of the probe hub or the robot or the gantry.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the adapter is further to electrically couple the plurality of probe tips to the probe hub.
6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the adapter is further to mechanically couple the plurality of probe arms to the robot or the gantry.
7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further to electrically couple the plurality of probe tips to the adapter or the probe hub.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein: the controller communicates multi-axial movement signals to one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors, wherein the controller is further to receive input providing coordinates for at least one of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein: the controller communicates multi-axial movement signals to one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors, wherein the controller is further to receive input providing coordinates for a first one of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board, and wherein the controller is further to determine remaining ones of the coordinates for remaining ones of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board.
10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: the controller to determine a quality of a probe by at least one of the plurality of probe points in a calibration phase of the system and further to enable the quality of the probe to apply to the plurality of probe tips in a probing phase of the system.
11 . A method for probing a circuit board, comprising: providing a plurality of probe arms mechanically connected to a controller and extending from the controller, each probe arm comprising a plurality of arm branches, the controller to move multi-axially on a gantry; providing a plurality of probe tips extending from the plurality of arm branches; providing a plurality of motorized connectors operated by the controller to allow independent movement of the plurality of arm branches and probe tips; causing, using the plurality of motorized connectors, individual ones of the plurality of probe tips and individual ones of the plurality of arm branches to be movable independently; and communicating, using the plurality of probe tips, probe signals with a circuit analysis system, wherein the plurality of probe tips concurrently probe a plurality of probe points of a circuit board.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: mounting the controller on a robot or the gantry, the controller associated with the plurality of motorized connectors, the controller to cause the robot or the gantry to move multi-axially and to cause movement signals to the plurality of motorized connectors, the movement signals to cause the individual ones of the plurality of probe tips and the individual ones of the plurality of probe arms to be movable independently in multi-axial directions.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising: coupling the controller to one or more of a probe hub or the robot or the gantry using an adapter; communicating, using the controller, movement signals for multi-axial movement in one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors; and communicating, using the probe hub and the adapter, the probe signals between the plurality of probe points and the circuit analysis system.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the adapter is further to electrically couple the plurality of probe tips to the probe hub, wherein the adapter is further to mechanically couple the plurality of probe arms to the robot or the gantry, or wherein the controller is further to electrically couple the plurality of probe tips to the adapter or the probe hub.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: communicating, using the controller, multi-axial movement signals to one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors, wherein the controller is to receive input providing coordinates for at least one of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board.
16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: receiving input providing coordinates for a first one of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board; determining, by the controller, remaining ones of the coordinates for remaining ones of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board; and communicating, using the controller, multi-axial movement signals to one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors.
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising: determining, using the controller, a quality of a probe by at least one of the plurality of probe points in a calibration phase of the system; and enabling the quality of the probe to apply to the plurality of probe tips in a probing phase of the system.
18 . A system comprising: a plurality of probe arms; and a controller mounted on a gantry, the controller to move multi-axially on the gantry and to communicate probe signals with a circuit analysis system to enable concurrent probing of a plurality of probe points of a circuit board, the plurality of probe points to be probed concurrently by a plurality of probe tips associated with the plurality of probe arms, each of the plurality of probe tips and the plurality of probe arms to be movable independently using a plurality of motorized connectors, and each of the plurality of probe arms being mechanically connected to the controller.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to: receive input providing coordinates for a first one of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board; determine remaining ones of the coordinates for remaining ones of the plurality of probe points of the circuit board; and communicate multi-axial movement signals to one or more of the plurality of motorized connectors.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a quality of a probe by at least one of the plurality of probe points in a calibration phase of the system; and enable the quality of the probe to apply to the plurality of probe tips in a probing phase of the system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD At least one embodiment pertains to probe stations for signal integrity validation. For example, probe tips associated with probe arms and motorized connectors enable independent movement of probe tips to concurrently probe multiple probe points of a circuit board. BACKGROUND Circuit boards, such as baseboards, may include sockets and supporting circuitry and components for processing units to be used in a computer system. The sockets may be central processing unit (CPU) sockets, graphics processing unit (GPU) sockets, and memory sockets or slots. Such circuit boards may be tested to ensure operations to expectations or repeatability. A probe station may be used to probe the circuit boards at different probe points and to enable probe signals from such probe points to be received in a circuit analysis system, such as an oscilloscope or a source measurement unit. A probe may include a needle-like interface, also referred to herein as a probe tip, to be rested against the probe point. Under proper (such as expected) stimulation, electrically, a probe signal may be returned to the probe. The stimulation and the probe signal may be displayed or analyzed in the circuit analysis system. An analysis of one or more of such probe signals may be used to qualify a circuit board, a component, or an interconnection of the circuit board. Signal integrity validation may be performed as part of the analysis. Furthermore, a probe may be a mechanically active probe or a mechanically passive probe. A mechanically passive probe may use a tungsten needle an apply and receive signals as provided to it, whereas a mechanically active probe may use a transistor (such as a field effect transistor) near a probe tip to change a loading on an interconnection or a component of the circuit board under probe. There may be 200 to 300 probe points on a baseboard. The probe tips are coupled to oscilloscope and measurements may be taken at the individual probe points. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a system that is subject to embodiments of an automatic board probing station; FIG. 2 illustrates aspects of a system associated with an automatic board probing station, according to at least one embodiment; FIG. 3 illustrates further aspects of the system associated with an automatic board probing station, according to at least one embodiment; FIG. 4 illustrates computer and processor aspects of a system associated with an automatic board probing station, according to at least one embodiment; FIG. 5 illustrates a process flow for a system associated with an automatic board probing station, according to at least one embodiment; FIG. 6 illustrates yet another process flow for a system associated with an automatic board probing station, according to at least one embodiment; and FIG. 7 illustrates a further process flow for a system associated with an automatic board probing station, according to at least one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 that is subject to embodiments of an automatic board probing station, as detailed herein. The system 100 includes a probe station 102 to load and secure a circuit board 118. The circuit board 118 may be a baseboards and may include circuitry, CPUs, GPU, and memory (all generally in reference numeral 126) installed within sockets or slots or provided with associations to probe points 122. Such a circuit board 118 may be tested to ensure operations to expectations or repeatability. The probe station 102 may be used to probe the circuit board 118 at the different probe points 122 and enable probe signals from such probe points to be provided to a circuit analysis system 104. A probe 124 may include a needle-like interface, also referred to herein as a probe tip 124A, to be rested against the probe point 122. Under proper (such as expected) stimulation, electrically, a probe signal may be returned to the probe. The stimulation and the probe signal (generally referenced in reference numeral 128) may be displayed or analyzed 112 in a circuit analysis system 104, such as an oscilloscope or a source measurement unit. An analysis of one or more of such probe signals may be used to qualify a circuit board 118, a component 126, or an interconnection (such as between probe points 122) of the circuit board 118. The qualification of a circuit board 118, a component 126, or an interconnection may be part of a signal integrity validation performed within the analysis of the probe signals. As there are between 200 to 300 probe points on a circuit board 118, measurements are to be taken at the individual probe points 122. Further, for repeatability, the measurements may need to be repeated for each of such 200 to 300 probe points. The system and method herein can address where, using a probe 124, there is a limit to the capability to the number of probe points 122 that can be probed at any point in time. For example, as there is a requirement to apply pressure on eac