METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING CIRCUIT BOARDS

摘要

A test system (10) is associated with a chain of circuits (12) on a circuit board (13) for testing the interconnections (11) linking the circuits in the chain as well as for testing the interconnections linking them to those on other boards. The test system includes a controller (22) for generating a test signal and for capturing a response signal generated by the associated chain of circuits in response to the test signal. The controller (22) also generates a flow control signal which controls a network (24) that routes the test signals from the controller, or from a first other test system, to the associated chain of circuits (12). In accordance with the flow control signal, the network (24) also serves to route the response signal from the associated chain of circuits (12) to the controller (22) or to a second other test system. By selectively routing the test and response signals, the network (24) in each test system (10) allows individual testing of each associated chain of circuits or, alternatively, permits the chains of circuits on several boards to be effectively interconnected for testing.