Apparatus for monitoring and controlling electrostatic discharge

Claim 1

A test system for conducting a plurality of measurements at a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said central control means and said plurality of test units for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; each of said test units including: means programmable to perform from one to said plurality of predefined measurements on equipment connectable thereto, including means for determining the operational integrity of electrostatic discharge control systems connected to said test units, interface means connected to said exchanging means for providing an addressable interface to enable said central control means to access a single one of said test units; wherein said central control means includes: means for selecting each of said test units independent of every other one of said test units, means for programming said programmable means in each said selected test units to perform a set of said plurality of predefined measurements, which set is defined by said programming means for each of said selected test units.

Claim 17

A system for monitoring the operation of electrostatic discharge control equipment located at each of a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, said electrostatic discharge control equipment including a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said plurality of test units and said central control means for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; wherein each of said test units include a plurality of measuring means, each performing one of said predefined measurements to measure a parameter of said electrostatic discharge control equipment, said plurality of measuring means comprising: means for determining the resistance of said conductive wrist strap, means connected to earth ground and to an electrical ground associated with said test unit for continuously measuring the resistance between said earth ground and said electrical ground, means, including a soldering iron test point, responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with the tip of a hot soldering iron for measuring the AC voltage appearing on said tip of the hot soldering iron, means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the resistance between said tip of said hot soldering iron and the electrical ground connection of said hot soldering iron, means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the absolute temperature of said tip of said hot soldering iron, means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the timewise variation in the temperature of said tip of said hot soldering iron, and wherein each of said test units also includes means responsive to said control and said data signals received from said central control means via said exchanging means for transmitting data, indicative of said measured parameters produced by a set of said plurality of means as defined by said central control means, to said central control means via said exchanging means.

Claim 18

A system for monitoring the operation of electrostatic discharge control equipment located at each of a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, said electrostatic discharge control equipment including a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said plurality of test units and said central control means for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; wherein each of said test units include a plurality of measuring means, each performing one of said predefined measurements to measure a parameter of said electrostatic discharge control equipment, said plurality of measuring means comprising: means for determining the resistance of said conductive wrist strap, means connected to earth ground and to an electrical ground associated with said test unit for continuously measuring the resistance between said earth ground and said electrical ground, means, including a soldering iron test point, responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with the tip of a hot soldering iron for measuring the AC voltage appearing on said tip of the hot soldering iron, means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the resistance between said tip of said hot soldering iron and the electrical ground connection of said hot soldering iron, means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the absolute temperature of said tip of said hot soldering iron, means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the timewise variation in the temperature of said tip of said hot soldering iron, and wherein each of said test units also includes means responsive to said control and said data signals received from said central control means via said exchanging means for transmitting data, indicative of said measured parameters produced by a set of said plurality of means as defined by said central control means, to said central control means via said exchanging means.

Claim 19

A system for monitoring the operation of electrostatic discharge control equipment located at each of a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, said electrostatic discharge control equipment including a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said plurality of test units and said central control means for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; wherein each of said test units include a plurality of measuring means, each performing one of said predefined measurements to measure a parameter of said electrostatic discharge control equipment, said plurality of measuring means comprising: means for measuring the resistance of said conductive wrist strap; means connected to earth ground and to an electrical ground associated with said test unit for continuously measuring the resistance between said earth ground and said electrical ground; means, including a soldering iron test point, responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with the tip of a hot soldering iron for measuring the AC voltage appearing on said tip of said hot soldering iron; means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the resistance between said tip of said hot soldering iron and said hot soldering iron's electrical ground connection; means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the timewise variation in the temperature (temperature stability) of said tip of said hot soldering iron; means, responsive to control signals received from said central control means specifying a set of said plurality of predefined measurements to be performed by said test unit for activating the ones of said measuring means included in said test unit corresponding to said defined set of measurements; means responsive to any of the measured parameters falling outside (above or below) an associated predetermined range of values, including the maximum and minimum values in said range of values for generating a corresponding audible alarm indication and a red LED light failure indication; means responsive to any of the measured parameters falling within said associated range of values for generating a corresponding green LED light pass indication.

Claim 20

A system for monitoring the operation of electrostatic discharge control equipment located at each of a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, said electrostatic discharge control equipment including a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said plurality of test units and said central control means for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; wherein each of said test units include a plurality of measuring means, each performing one of said predefined measurements to measure a parameter of said electrostatic discharge control equipment, said plurality of measuring means comprising: means for measuring the resistance of said conductive wrist strap; means connected to earth ground and to an electrical ground associated with said test unit for continuously measuring the resistance between said earth ground and said electrical ground; means, including a soldering iron test point, responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with the tip of a hot soldering iron for measuring the AC voltage appearing on said tip of said hot soldering iron; means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the resistance between said tip of said hot soldering iron and said hot soldering iron's electrical ground connection; means responsive to said user touching said soldering iron test point with said tip of said hot soldering iron for measuring the timewise variation in the temperature (temperature stability) of said tip of said hot soldering iron; means, responsive to control signals received from said central control means specifying a set of said plurality of predefined measurements to be performed by said test unit for activating the ones of said measuring means included in said test unit corresponding to said defined set of measurements; means responsive to any of the measured parameters falling outside (above or below) an associated predetermined range of values, including the maximum and minimum values in said range of values for generating a corresponding audible alarm indication and a red LED light failure indication; means responsive to any of the measured parameters falling within said associated range of values for generating a corresponding green LED light pass indication.

Claim 37

A system for monitoring the operation of electrostatic discharge control equipment located at each of a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, said electrostatic discharge control equipment including a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units, including: means connected to said plurality of test units for exchanging control and data signals therebetween, means for selecting each of said test units independent of every other one of said test units, means for programming each of said test units to perform a set of said plurality of predefined measurements, which set is defined by said programming means for each of said selected test units; wherein each of said test units include: means, responsive to said programming means, for performing said set of predefined measurements to continuously or intermittently determine the resistance of said conductive wrist strap; means responsive to said control and said data signals received from said central control means via said exchanging means for transmitting data indicative of said determined conductive wrist strap resistance to said central control means via said exchanging means.

Claim 38

A system for monitoring the operation of electrostatic discharge control equipment located at each of a plurality of test units, each of which is programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements, said electrostatic discharge control equipment including a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units, including: means connected to said plurality of test units for exchanging control and data signals therebetween, means for selecting each of said test units independent of every other one of said test units, means for programming each of said test units to perform a set of said plurality of predefined measurements, which set is defined by said programming means for each of said selected test units; wherein each of said test units include: means, responsive to said programming means, for performing said set of predefined measurements to continuously or intermittently determine the resistance of said conductive wrist strap; means responsive to said control and said data signals received from said central control means via said exchanging means for transmitting data indicative of said determined conductive wrist strap resistance to said central control means via said exchanging means.

Claim 68

A system for monitoring the operational status of a plurality of soldering irons, each of said soldering irons associated with a test unit, each of said test units being programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements on said associated soldering irons, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said central control means and said plurality of test units for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; wherein each of said test units include a plurality of measuring means, each performing one of said predefined measurements to measure a parameter of said electrostatic discharge control equipment, said plurality of measuring means comprising: means for generating a test current within the range of 10 to 1000 milliamps; means, responsive to a worker at said test unit touching the tip of said associated soldering iron to a test point on said test unit, for applying said test current to said tip of said soldering iron; means for generating data indicative of the resistance between said tip of said soldering iron and electrical ground measured via the voltage generated by the application of said test current to said tip of said soldering iron; means, responsive to control signals received from said central control means, for transmitting said generated data to said central control means.

Claim 69

A system for monitoring the operational status of a plurality of soldering irons, each of said soldering irons associated with a test unit, each of said test units being programmable to perform from one to a plurality of predefined measurements on said associated soldering irons, comprising: central control means for regulating the operation of said plurality of test units; means connected to and interconnecting said central control means and said plurality of test units for exchanging control and data signals therebetween; wherein each of said test units include a plurality of measuring means, each performing one of said predefined measurements to measure a parameter of said electrostatic discharge control equipment, said plurality of measuring means comprising: means for generating a test current within the range of 10 to 1000 milliamps; means, responsive to a worker at said test unit touching the tip of said associated soldering iron to a test point on said test unit, for applying said test current to said tip of said soldering iron; means for generating data indicative of the resistance between said tip of said soldering iron and electrical ground measured via the voltage generated by the application of said test current to said tip of said soldering iron; means, responsive to control signals received from said central control means, for transmitting said generated data to said central control means.

Claim 74

A system for monitoring the operational status of one or more soldering irons, each of said soldering irons associated with a test unit that comprises: means responsive to a worker at said test unit touching the tip of said soldering iron to a test point on said test unit for generating an analog electrical signal indicative of the temperature of the tip of said soldering iron; means for storing the maximum (highest) values of said analog electrical signal as an indication of the maximum temperature of said soldering iron tip and the lowest value of said analog electrical signal as an indication of the minimum temperature of said soldering iron tip, over a predetermined time period.

Claim 75

A system for monitoring the operational status of one or more soldering irons, each of said soldering irons associated with a test unit that comprises: means responsive to a worker at said test unit touching the tip of said soldering iron to a test point on said test unit for generating an analog electrical signal indicative of the temperature of the tip of said soldering iron; means for storing the maximum (highest) values of said analog electrical signal as an indication of the maximum temperature of said soldering iron tip and the lowest value of said analog electrical signal as an indication of the minimum temperature of said soldering iron tip, over a predetermined time period.