CHIP IDENTIFICATION READER

摘要

A portable electronic device which reads programmed identification information from integrated circuits includes an integrated circuit socket, into which an integrated circuit may be placed, and a controller which applies an address sequence to the integrated circuit to read its identification information. The device then displays the identification information on a display device to the user. The device also includes a switch which is activated to test the integrated circuit and the controller selectively applies power to the integrated circuit only when the test switch is pressed. The device further includes a memory which temporarily stores the identification information and a communications interface through which this information may be up-loaded to a host computer. The memory may also hold test routines for several integrated circuit types and may allow the technician to select a particular integrated circuit type before retrieving the identification information.