Testing the integrity of an electrical connection to a device using an onboard controllable signal source

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to systems and a method for testing the integrity of an electrical connection mounted on a circuit assembly using an onboard controllable signal source.
In general, the integrity of the electrical connection is determined by whether the electrical connector, such as a pin or solder pad, is properly connected to an electrical signal path on the circuit assembly.
For example, the electrical connector may be properly soldered to the signal path or wire trace on the circuit assembly, i.
e.
, a good electrical connection.
However, an improperly soldered electrical connector may result in an open circuit or a short circuit on the printed circuit assembly on the device, i.
e.
, a bad electrical connection.
Use of the improved apparatus and improved method of the present invention allows for detection of a bad electrical connection, even when there is no probe access to the connection itself or to a signal path related to the connection.
Referring now to FIGS.
3 through 5, in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, the preferred embodiment, and the various aspects of the present invention are described.
FIG.
3 is a diagram illustrating an apparatus for testing the integrity of an electrical connection without having access to the electrical connection.
The apparatus includes an onboard controllable signal source 300, an electrical signal path 305, an electrical connector 225 (such as a pin or solder pad) of the device 205 that is mounted on a printed circuit board 210, all which are part of a printed circuit assembly 200, and a capacitive sensor 215 near the electrical connection 222.
The controllable signal source 300 is mounted to the printed circuit assembly 200, also called a circuit assembly.
Typically, the controllable signal source 300 is an integrated circuit (such as a microprocessor) or an oscillator (such as a voltage controlled oscillator).
A key characteristic of the controllable signal source 300 is that it is capable of generating or providing a test signal on a test signal output 310 of the controllable signal source 300