Santa Clara, California – International Test Conference – October 30th, 2008 — Intellitech Corporation, www.intellitech.com, the leader in lowering electronic product costs through IEEE 1149.1/JTAG, has announced UltraTAP-BT, a Bluetooth enabled IEEE 1149.1/JTAG pod with non-volatile test program and failure memory. The Bluetooth wireless capability brings the convenience, ease-of-use and low cost appreciated in consumer products to IEEE 1149.1/JTAG test. The UltraTAP-BT is designed to allow plug-n-play test and FPGA configuration without a computer, cable and software. 1149.1/JTAG based tests are executed from the UltraTAP-BT Flash memory. Since there is no software overhead or PC bus architecture, tests execute at a continuous test clock rate of up to fifty megahertz. Failures are stored for retrieval via a Bluetooth enabled device. The autonomous operation of the UltraTAP-BT enables new capabilities and lower cost for 1149.X based test during PCB bring-up, manufacturing, burn-in and field-service. One Bluetooth enabled PC can control multiple pods, breaking the traditional “one PC software, one pod” model used in 1149.1/JTAG test.
The UltraTAP-BT pod is about the size of a flash drive. Test flow, test scripts and 3rd party Serial Vector Format files are downloaded over a USB connection to the pod using Intellitech’s Eclipse software. Once a test strategy is downloaded, the USB connection and computer are no longer needed. The UltraTAP-BT is powered by the PCB under test via voltage available from the JTAG header. Test sequences are executed at power-up via push button or via Bluetooth commands. Pass and fail LEDs indicate the status of the test. The low cost and small size of UltraTAP-BT enables it to be paired with a PCB for the entire manufacturing process to enable JTAG/1149.1 test as needed and then be re-used for other PCBs.
The pod communicates wirelessly to nearby Bluetooth enabled computers when a failure is found. A small burst of compressed failure information is sent so that the computer can diagnose the failure to a net, pin or register fault description. If a Bluetooth connection is not found, failure information is stored in non-volatile memory for later retrieval via USB or via Bluetooth. Diagnostic accuracy and detail is no different than the accuracy and detail of traditional cable-based JTAG testing. UltraTAP-BT can be used with Intellitech’s recently announced Mercury Remote Diagnostics Manager which collects PCB serial numbers via wireless barcode scanners and then collects the failure data wirelessly from the factory floor. Several UltraTAP-BT pods can be used at one time, each containing different test programs targeted for different PCB types.
“UltraTAP-BT is based on our patented SystemBIST embedded JTAG test technology. The portable UltraTAP-BT pod provides customers some of the benefits of PCB BIST without having it designed into the board” said CJ Clark, CEO of Intellitech Corporation. “We have decoupled the JTAG controller from the PC and bus architecture; PXI, PCI, PCIe and Ethernet host interfaces have become irrelevant. Decoupling the PC and software from the test execution is part of our overall strategy of lowering cost for our customers” he added.
UltraTAP-BT is extremely easy for an untrained operator to use since they do not need to know how to setup JTAG software, cabling and navigate various software GUIs. Operators just plug it onto the PCB to get a pass/fail status. UltraTAP-BT has utility in a variety of applications, it can be used inside a fixture to add JTAG test capability, it can be sent to field service personal to use for on-site test or for in-the-field upgrades or it can eliminate the need for special cabling when the PCB is distant from the computer. UltraTAP-BT supports USB 1.1, Bluetooth 1.2 and includes an RS-232 interface for non-wireless operations. The North American price is US$595.00.
