The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-221584 filed on Oct. 30, 2014 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a manufacturing technology therefor, and, for example, a technology effective when applied to an electronic apparatus which functions as a component of a wireless communication system, and a manufacturing technology therefor.
There has been described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2007-313594 (Patent Document 1), a structure in which a sensor control layer and an RF layer are respectively arranged in such a manner that a forming surface of a sensor control unit and an RF unit takes on the side which comes into contact with an MEMS layer, and interpose the MEMS layer therebetween.
There has been described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-505973 (Patent Document 2), a technology in which an antenna area is arranged over a substrate and an RF terminal is included in a die.
There has been described in International Patent Publication No. 2010/026990 (Patent Document 3), a technology in which a transmission circuit package and a reception circuit package are mounted over an antenna substrate as high-frequency circuit packages.
There has been described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Laid-Open No. 2005-207797 (Patent Document 4), a technology having an RF interface block which converts a signal-processed sensing signal to a high frequency signal.
There has been a demand for miniaturization of an electronic apparatus which functions as each node of a wireless communication system, for example. In particular, the current electronic apparatus which configures each node of a wireless sensor network (may be called WSN) corresponding to a kind of wireless communication system using a sensor is of a size of such a level that it offers no difficulty for a person carrying it on. Further, the electronic apparatus has been desired to be minimized to such a level that the person “is not conscious of it” while carrying the same on.
Here, in order to achieve miniaturization of the electronic apparatus, it is important to devise a form of mounting electronic components over a substrate. In the manufacture of the electronic apparatus, however, a test process for selecting a non-defective product and a defective product exists, and the substrate is normally provided with test terminals in order to carryout the test process. Accordingly, it is also important to devise even the form of an arrangement of the test terminals upon achieving the miniaturization of the electronic apparatus. That is, it can be said that it is desirable to devise not only the mounting form of the electronic components but also the arrangement form of the test terminals in an actual electronic apparatus in terms of achievement in its further miniaturization.
Other problems and novel features will be apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
An electronic apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a module unit in which a first wiring board and a second wiring board are laminated. A plurality of first test terminals are collectively provided in a first test terminal forming area of an upper surface of the first wiring board.
Further, a method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus, according to one aspect of the present invention includes the steps of performing a unit test on a first wiring board by using a plurality of first test terminals formed in an upper surface of a fist wiring board, and performing a coupling test on a module unit by using a plurality of second test terminals formed in a lower surface of the first wiring board.
According to the above one aspect, it is possible to achieve miniaturization of an electronic apparatus.
The invention will be described by being divided into a plurality of sections or embodiments whenever circumstances require it for convenience in the following embodiments. However, unless otherwise specified in particular, they are not irrelevant to one another. One thereof has to do with modifications, details, supplementary explanations, etc. of some or all of the other.
Also, when reference is made to the number of elements or the like (including the number of pieces, numerical values, quantity, range, etc.) in the following embodiments, the number thereof is not limited to a specific number and may be greater than or less than or equal to the specific number unless otherwise specified in particular and definitely limited to the specific number in principle.
It is further needless to say that in the following embodiments, components (also including element or factor steps, etc.) employed therein are not always essential unless otherwise specified in particular and considered to be definitely essential in principle.
Similarly, when reference is made to the shapes, positional relations and the like of the components or the like in the following embodiments, they will include ones substantially analogous or similar to their shapes or the like unless otherwise specified in particular and considered not to be definitely so in principle, etc. This is similarly applied even to the above-described numerical values and range.
The same reference numerals are respectively attached to the same members in principle in all the drawings for describing the embodiments, and a repeated description thereof will be omitted. Incidentally, even plan diagrams may be hatched to make the drawings easier to understand.
<Wireless Sensor Network>
In an embodiment to be described below, a description will be given by taking a wireless sensor network as an example of a wireless communication system. A technical idea in the embodiment is however not limited to this, but can be widely applied to a wireless communication system using a sensor.
The wireless sensor network that is one example of the wireless communication system using the sensor is a technique which has been so attracting attention in recent years. This technique has been expected to be widely used. Each of nodes (terminals) which configure the wireless sensor network is configured to acquire data outputted from a sensor, such as temperatures, illuminance, acceleration, etc. and transmit the acquired data by radio waves. For example, a “multihop ad hoc communication”, which transfers data acquired by nodes using a bucket relay method between the nodes is utilized in the wireless sensor network.
That is, a related art type mobile communication needs the development of infrastructures such as base stations, and a fixed network for coupling these stations, etc. On the other hand, the wireless sensor network using the “multihop ad hoc communication” is capable of communication by autonomous routing of each node itself. Therefore, there is an advantage that the fixed network is not needed for the wireless sensor network and a network can be immediately constructed by simply arranging nodes in the environment desired to construct the network. Incidentally, the type of the wireless sensor network is not limited to it, but maybe a one-to-one type, a star type, a mesh type, or any of them.
Thus, since the autonomous network can be constructed by simply arranging the nodes, the wireless sensor network can obtain an advantage in that laying work at a use site can be reduced. Further, since it is possible to grasp the dynamics of a real world by acquiring data outputted from the sensor, tracking of an object and monitoring of the natural environment have been expected as promising applications for the wireless sensor network.
The base station BS is a computer capable of accessing the wireless sensor network. For example, the base station BS collectively holds the environment data obtained from the wireless sensor network. Here, a computer of a system operator desired to acquire environment data from the wireless sensor network accesses, for example, the base station BS to obtain necessary data and analyzes the obtained data. Thus, the computer is capable of grasping the state of areal environment and carrying out processing required by an application, based on the analyzed state.
<Configuration of Node>
Subsequently, each node which configures the wireless sensor network will be described.
The sensor SR is comprised of an element or a device which detects physical quantities such as temperatures, pressure, a flow rate, light, magnetism, etc. and the amounts of changes in those physical quantities. Further, the sensor SR is configured to convert each of the detected amounts of changes into a suitable signal and output the same. The sensor SR includes, for example, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an illuminance sensor, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, or an image sensor or the like.
The data processing unit DPU is configured to process the output signal outputted from the sensor SR and output data of the processed output signal. Further, the radio communication unit RFU is configured to convert the data processed by the data processing unit DPU into a signal of a radio frequency and transmit the same from the antenna ANT1. Furthermore, the radio communication unit RFU is also configured to receive a signal of a radio frequency via the antenna ANT1.
When the physical quantity is detected by the sensor SR at the node configured in this way, a signal is outputted from the sensor SR and the so-outputted signal is inputted to the data processing unit DPU. Then, the data processing unit DPU processes the input signal and outputs data of the processed signal to the radio communication unit RFU. Thereafter, the radio communication unit RFU converts the input data into a signal of a radio frequency and transmits the radio frequency signal from the antenna ANT1. Thus, at the node, the radio frequency signal corresponding to the physical quantity is transmitted based on the physical quantity detected by the sensor SR.
<Detailed Configuration of Node>
One example of a detailed configuration of the node will further be described.
Incidentally, the sensor SR may also include one that outputs a digital signal. In this case, the analog data processing unit ADPU becomes unnecessary as the data processing unit DPU. The data processing unit DPU can also be comprised of the digital data processing unit DDPU. In this case, the analog data processing unit ADPU is built in the sensor SR. However, although a description will be made here about a form that the data processing unit DPU is comprised of the analog data processing unit ADPU and the digital data processing unit DDPU as an example, it is not limited to this.
The analog data processing unit ADPU will first be described. The analog data processing unit ADPU is configured to input an analog signal outputted from the sensor SR and covert the analog signal into data easy to handle the analog signal and includes the sensing unit SU and the AD converting unit ADU.
The sensing unit SU is configured to include, for example, an amplifier circuit, a transimpedance circuit, a filter circuit, etc. The output signal outputted from the sensor SR is small and the signal format thereof is not often suitable for processing of the digital data processing unit DDPU. Therefore, there is a need to provide a circuit which amplifies the small analog signal outputted from the sensor SR to an analog signal having a magnitude suitable for the input of the digital data processing unit DDPU. Further, the output signal outputted from the sensor SR may be a current other than the voltage. In this case, an AD converting circuit for converting an analog signal to a digital signal is capable of receiving only a voltage signal. For this reason, there is a need to provide a circuit which amplifies a current signal to a voltage signal having a suitable magnitude while doing conversion to the voltage signal. This circuit is an analog circuit which is called the transimpedance circuit and share the converting circuit and the amplifier circuit. Further, an unnecessary frequency signal (noise) may be mixed into the output signal from the sensor SR. In this case, it becomes hard to obtain the output signal from the sensor SR due to the noise. Therefore, when the noise is a frequency higher than that of the output signal, it is necessary to eliminate the noise by a low-pass filter circuit. On the other hand, when the noise is a frequency lower than that of the output signal, it is necessary to eliminate the noise by a high-pass filter circuit.
Thus, since it is difficult to directly handle the output signal from the sensor SR, the analog data processing unit ADPU is provided, and the sensing unit SU including the above-described amplifier circuit, transimpedance circuit and filter circuit is provided in this analog data processing unit ADPU. The series analog circuits which configure the sensing unit SU are also called an “analog front end (AFE)”.
Next, the AD converting unit ADU is configured to convert analog data outputted from the sensing unit SU into digital data. That is, this is because, since the digital data processing unit DDPU can handle only the digital data, the AD converting unit ADU needs to convert the analog data into the digital data.
Subsequently, the digital data processing unit DDPU is configured to input the digital data outputted from the analog data processing unit ADPU and process the digital data. The digital data processing unit DDPU includes, for example, the numerical analyzing unit NAU and the judgement unit JU. At this time, the digital data processing unit DDPU is comprised of, for example, a micro control unit (MCU).
The numerical analyzing unit NAU is configured to input the digital data outputted from the analog data processing unit ADPU and perform numerical arithmetic processing on the digital data, based on a program. Then, the judgement unit JU is configured to select data to be outputted to the radio communication unit RFU, for example, based on the result of the numerical arithmetic processing by the numerical analyzing unit NAU.
The data processing unit DPU is configured as described above and the following operations thereof will be described. First, the physical quantity such as the temperature, pressure, flow rate, light, magnetism or the like is detected by the sensor SR. A weak detection signal corresponding to an analog signal is outputted from the sensor SR, based on the result of detection. Then, the outputted weak detection signal is inputted to the sensing unit SU in the analog data processing unit ADPU. In the sensing unit SU, the input detection signal is amplified by the amplifier circuit. Also, when the detection signal is not the voltage signal but the current signal, the current signal is converted to the voltage signal by the transimpedance circuit. Further, in order to eliminate noise included in the detection signal, the noise included therein is removed by the filter circuit. Thus, the sensing unit SU processes the detection signal (analog signal) inputted from the sensor SR to generate and output analog data (analog signal). Subsequently, the AD converting unit ADU inputs the analog data outputted from the sensing unit SU therein and converts the same into digital data. Thereafter, the digital data converted by the AD converting unit ADU is inputted to the numerical analyzing unit NAU in the digital data processing unit DDPU. Then, the numerical analyzing unit NAU performs numerical arithmetic processing, based on the input digital data. Thereafter, the judgement unit JU selects digital data to be outputted to the radio communication unit RFU, based on the result of the numerical arithmetic processing. Next, the digital data outputted from the digital data processing unit DDPU is inputted to the radio communication unit RFU where it is converted into a signal of a radio frequency, followed by being transmitted from the antenna ANT1. As described above, the data based on the physical quantity detected by the sensor SR is generated at the node, and the radio frequency signal corresponding to the data is transmitted.
A detailed configuration example of the radio communication unit RFU included in the node will next be described.
The baseband processing unit BBU is configured to generate a modulating baseband signal from the digital data inputted from the data processing unit and process the same. The oscillator OSR is configured to generate a carrier wave of a radio frequency. Further, the mixer MIX is configured to superimpose the baseband signal generated by the baseband processing unit BBU on the carrier wave generated by the oscillator OSR to thereby generate a signal of a radio frequency. Furthermore, the power amplifier PA is configured to amplify the signal of the radio frequency outputted from the mixer MIX, and the balun BL is an element for converting electric signals in balanced and unbalanced states.
The transmission part of the radio communication unit RFU is configured as described above. The operation thereof will be described below. First, the baseband processing unit BBU generates a modulating baseband signal from the digital data inputted from the data processing unit. Then, the baseband signal and the carrier wave generated by the oscillator OSR are modulated by being mixed by the mixer MIX so that a signal of a radio frequency is generated. The radio frequency signal is amplified by the power amplifier PA, followed by being outputted from the radio communication unit RFU through the balun BL. Thereafter, the radio frequency signal outputted from the radio communication unit RFU is transmitted from the antenna ANT1 electrically coupled to the radio communication unit RFU. The radio frequency signal can be transmitted from the node in the above-described manner.
Subsequently,
The balun BL is an element for converting electric signals being in balanced and unbalanced states. Further, the low noise amplifier LNA is configured to amplify a received weak reception signal. The oscillator OSR is configured to generate a carrier wave of a radio frequency. The mixer MIX is configured to superimpose the reception signal amplified by the low noise amplifier LNA on the carrier wave generated by the oscillator OSR to thereby generate a baseband signal. The baseband processing unit BBU is configured to generate digital data from the demodulated baseband signal and process the same.
The reception part of the radio communication unit RFU is configured as described above. The operation thereof will be described below. First, a reception signal received by the antenna ANT1 is inputted to the low noise amplifier LNA through the balun BL, where it is amplified. Thereafter, the amplified reception signal is demodulated by being mixed with a carrier wave generated by the oscillator OSR by means of the mixer MIX, so that a baseband signal is generated. Then, the demodulated baseband signal is processed to be converted into digital signal by the baseband processing unit BBU. It is possible to receive the reception signal at the node in the above-described manner.
<External Appearance Configuration of Electronic Apparatus According to the Embodiment>
A description will next be made about an external appearance configuration of an electronic apparatus EA1 according to the present embodiment.
The case CS shown in
Here, the capacity part CP1 and the capacity part CP2 are coupled integrally to each other and configure the case CS. The capacity part CP1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape close to a substantially cubic shape as compared with the capacity part CP2. On the other hand, the capacity part CP2 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape more slender than the capacity part CP1. The slender long side of the capacity part CP2 extends in, for example, an x direction.
The case CS in the present embodiment is configured as described above. The components of the electronic apparatus EA1 are accommodated inside the case CS.
<Mounting Structure of Components of Electronic Apparatus>
A description will be made below about a mounting structure of the components of the electronic apparatus EA1, which are accommodated inside the case CS. First,
On the other hand, the radio communication unit RFU and the antenna ANT1 are disposed in a wiring board WB2 which is a board different from the wiring board WB1. At this time, of the components of the radio communication unit RFU shown in
Subsequently,
Next,
<Mounting Structure of Module Unit>
First, as shown in
Thus, according to the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment, which is comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2, for example, the numbers of the electronic components mounted over the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 respectively are reduced as compared with the case where both of the electronic components mounted over the wiring board WB1 and the electronic components mounted over the wiring board WB2 are mounted over a single wiring board. This means that the plane size of the wiring board WB1 and the plane size of the wiring board WB2 can be reduced. Thus, the entire plane size of the module unit MJU1 comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 small in plane size is greatly made small. As a result, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to achieve miniaturization of the electronic apparatus including the module unit MJU1.
Incidentally, in the present embodiment, the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 are bonded to each other by not only the connector CNT1 but also an adhesive ADH1 to improve the strength of coupling between the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2. For example, a silicon system adhesive material or the like can be used as the adhesive ADH1, for example.
Then, assumption is made that the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment is comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2. Further, the electronic components are mounted over both surfaces of the wiring board WB1, and the electronic components are mounted even over both surfaces of the wiring board WB2, whereby a further reduction in the plane size of each of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 is achieved.
Specifically, as shown in
Thus, according to the present embodiment, since the electronic components are mounted over both surfaces of the wiring board WB1, and the electronic components are mounted even over both surfaces of the wiring board WB2, the plane sizes of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 can be reduced. Thus, it is possible to further reduce the entire plane size of the module unit MJU1 comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2.
In the so-configured module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment, the radio communication unit RFU and the sensor module SM both included in the module unit MJU1 are separated from each other over the mounting structure. That is, in the present embodiment, the module unit MJU1 is comprised of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 different from each other. The sensor module SM is realized by the electronic components (mounting components) mounted over the wiring board WB1, and the radio communication unit RFU is realized by the electronic components (mounting components) mounted over the wiring board WB2.
A description will be made below about an advantage obtained by configuring the radio communication unit RFU and the sensor module SM both included in the module unit MJU1 to be separated from each other over the mounting structure. For example, when the radio communication unit RFU and the sensor module SM integrally configure a module unit over the mounting structure, it is necessary to obtain a radio wave authentication for each module different in sensor, thus resulting in a rise in the manufacturing cost of the module unit.
On the other hand, when the radio communication unit RFU and the sensor module SM are separated from each other over the mounting structure as in the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment, only the sensor module SM can be customized using in common, the radio communication unit RFU whose radio wave authentication has been acquired. That is, since the wiring board WB2 formed with the radio communication unit RFU can be commonalized, there is no need to acquire the radio wave authentication for each module unit different in the type of sensor even if each sensor module SM differs in configuration, thereby making possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the entire module unit. The module unit MJU1 corresponding to each sensor different in type can be configured especially by simply commonalizing the mounting structure of the wiring board WB2 formed with the radio communication unit RFU and customizing only the mounting structure of the wiring board WB1 formed with the sensor module SM. Therefore, it is possible to improve the versatility to promote the commonalization of the mounting components for configuring the module unit MJU1. Even from this viewpoint, the manufacturing cost of the module unit MJU1 can be reduced. That is, according to the separation configuration of the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment, there can be obtained a remarkable advantageous effect that the manufacturing cost of the module unit MJU1 can be greatly reduced by easiness in acquiring the radio wave authentication by communalization of the radio communication unit RFU and an improvement in the versatility due to the communalization of the mounting components.
Subsequently, in the present embodiment, as shown in
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in
Thus, in the present embodiment, conductor patterns (metal patterns) and electronic components are prevented from being arranged around the antenna ANT1 to the utmost. That is, in plan view, the antenna ANT1 is provided in the position not to overlap with the electronic components corresponding to the components of the module unit MJU1 typified by the sensor module SM and the connector CNT1. Thus, according to the present embodiment, the characteristics of the antenna ANT1 can be improved. As a result, it is possible to lengthen a communication distance of the electronic apparatus. That is, when the conductor patterns and the electronic components exist around the antenna ANT1, the characteristics of the antenna ANT1 are significantly deteriorated due to a shielding effect of electromagnetic waves by the conductor patterns or the electronic components. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the conductor patterns and the electronic components are not arranged around the antenna ANT1 to the utmost.
According to the present embodiment from the above, the communication distance of the electronic apparatus (node) can be lengthened because the characteristics of the antenna ANT1 can be improved. This means that the room for selection of a communication path of the wireless sensor network is enlarged. That is, for example, even if a communication path between adjacent nodes becomes an unusable state due to a communication failure, a communication path with the separated node can be ensured by lengthening the communication distance of the node. Therefore, the wireless sensor network hardly affected by the communication failure can be constructed by using the electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment in each node of the wireless sensor network.
<Mounting Structure of Entire Electronic Apparatus Accommodated in Case>
Subsequently, a description will be made about the mounting structure of the entire electronic apparatus EA1 accommodated in the case CS.
In
Incidentally, as the battery BAT in the present embodiment, a rechargeable secondary battery is used. As one example of the secondary battery, may be mentioned a lithium ion battery. Further, as the rechargeable secondary battery, for example, an electric double-layered capacitor or the like can be used. That is, the “secondary battery” mentioned in the present specification is used in a wide concept that it includes a chargeable/dischargeable storage device. The electric double-layered capacitor is also included in the “secondary battery” mentioned in the present specification.
On the other hand, in the case CS in the present embodiment, the capacity part CP2 is provided to be coupled to the capacity part CP1. A thermistor TH1 which serves as a temperature sensor, and a wiring WL3 electrically coupled to the thermistor TH1 are accommodated in a space SP2 lying inside the capacity part CP2. Further, the space SP1 lying inside the capacity part CP1 and the space SP2 lying inside the capacity part CP2 are in communication with each other. The wiring WL3 coupled to the thermistor TH1 is coupled to the wiring board WB1 of the module unit MJU1. The thermistor TH1 accommodated in the space SP2 lying inside the capacity part CP2 has, for example, the function of measuring the temperature of an external environment under which the electronic apparatus EA1 is installed.
Thus, although the electronic apparatus EA1 according to the present embodiment is equipped with the thermistors TH1 and TH2 as the temperature sensors, this configuration is merely one example. For example, the electronic apparatus EA1 may be equipped with only either of the thermistors TH1 and TH2. Alternatively, the electronic apparatus EA1 may be configured so as not to be equipped with both of them.
The electronic apparatus EA1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above is of the electronic apparats which functions as the component (node) of the wireless communication system. The electronic apparatus EA1 is equipped with the module unit MJU1, the battery BAT which supplies power to the module unit MJU1, and the coupling part which electrically couples the module unit MJU1 and the battery BAT. At this time, the module unit MJU1 has the sensor which detects the physical quantity, and the radio communication unit which transmits data based on the output signal from the sensor.
Subsequently, in the present embodiment, as shown in
Thus, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain advantages to be shown below. The junction part which couples the wiring board WB1 and the wiring WL1 (wiring WL2) is formed in the non-overlapping area NDP1 (refer to
Further, the junction part is formed by inserting the wiring WL1 (wiring WL2) in the external terminal TE1 having the penetration structure, which is formed in the wiring board WB1 and bonding them with solder. Therefore, the junction strength between the wiring board WB1 and the wiring WL1 can be improved by insertion of the wiring WL1 inside the external terminal TE1 having the penetration structure as compared with, for example, the case where the wiring WL1 is solder-bonded to a pad formed at the surface of the wiring board WB1 to form a junction part. Likewise, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the junction strength between the wiring board WB1 and the wiring WL2, the junction strength between the wiring board WB1 and the wiring WL3, and the junction strength between the wiring board WB1 and the wiring WL4.
Further, as an advantage that the junction part between the module unit MJU1 and the coupling part is formed in the non-overlapping area NDP1 of the wiring board WB1 shown in
<Need for Examinations on Test Process>
The electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured as described above. In the manufacturing process of the electronic apparatus, a test process for selecting the quality of the electronic apparatus is carried out. That is, in order to prevent defective products from being shipped, as much as possible, a test process for selecting non-defective and defective products exists in the manufacturing process of the electronic apparatus, and only an electronic apparatus determined to be a non-defective product which has passed the test process is shipped. Thus, the electronic apparatus is normally provided with test terminals used in the test process. Further, in view of a reduction in the cost of the electronic apparatus, it is necessary to suppress the entire electronic apparatus including other non-defective components from being processed as a defective product due to failures in some components. To this end, it becomes important to devise the test process.
When paying attention to the electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment, for example, as shown in
Thus, when the test process is carried out after the assembly of the module unit MJU1, the module unit MJU1 determined to be “NG” in the test process is discarded as a defective product. At this time, for example, in the module unit MJU1 to be discarded, the wiring board WB2 mounted with the electronic components is a defective product, whereas the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components may be a non-defective product. In this case, since the entire module unit MJU1 becomes a defective product regardless of the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components being the non-defective product, the wiring board WB1 (non-defective product) mounted with the electronic components is discarded.
Particularly, since the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 are not only coupled by the connector CNT1 but also adhered with the adhesive ADH1 in the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment, it is difficult to take out the non-defective wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components from the integrated module unit MJU1. From this point, for example, when the test process is carried out in the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment after the assembly of the module unit MJU1, the entire module unit MJU1 becomes a defective product regardless of the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components being non-defective. Therefore, the wiring board WB1 as the non-defective product mounted with the electronic components is also discarded. This means that it will result in an increase in the cost of the electronic apparatus.
In the present embodiment from the above, it cannot be said that the execution of the test process including the tests on the individual wiring boards WB1 and WB2 after the assembly of the module unit MJU1 comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components and the wiring board WB2 mounted with the electronic components is appropriate in terms of reducing the cost of the electronic apparatus. That is, upon carrying out the test process on the module unit MJU1 in the present embodiment, it is necessary to devise a test method capable of reducing the cost of the entire electronic apparatus in consideration of the fact that the module unit MJU1 is comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components and the wiring board WB2 mounted with the electronic components. Thus, in the present embodiment, the test method is devised considering that the module unit MJU1 is comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components and the wiring board WB2 mounted with the electronic components. A description will be made below about a technical idea in the present embodiment to which this devise has been applied.
<Test Process in the Embodiment>
The electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment includes the electronic apparatus which functions as each component of the wireless communication system. The electronic apparatus is equipped with the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 electrically coupled to the wiring board WB1 through the connector CNT1. At this time, the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 are laminated and arranged in the opposed state of the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 and the lower surface of the wiring board WB2 to configure the module unit MJU1. Then, a plurality of first test terminals are collectively provided in a first test terminal forming area of the upper surface of the wiring board WB1. Further, a plurality of second test terminals are collectively provided in a second test terminal forming area of the lower surface of the wiring board WB1.
The manufacturing process of the electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment configured in this way has a step of mounting the electronic components over the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 and a step of mounting the electronic components over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1. Likewise, the manufacturing process of the electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment has a step of mounting the electronic components over the upper surface of the wiring board WB2 and a step of mounting the electronic components over the lower surface of the wiring board WB2. Thereafter, the unit test on the wiring board WB1 is carried out by using the first test terminals. Likewise, the unit test on the wiring board WB2 is carried out by using the test terminals provided in the wiring board WB2. Subsequently, the wiring board WB1 having passed the unit test and the wiring board WB2 having passed the unit test are coupled to each other by the connector CNT1 to thereby form the module unit MJU1, and thereafter the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is carried out by using the second test terminals. Consequently, the manufacturing process of the electronic apparatus including the test process in the present embodiment is realized.
In this regard, for example, in the case of the related art which performs the test process after assembly of the module unit MJU1, the module unit MJU1 determined to be “NG” in this test process is discarded as a defective product. At this time, in the discarded module unit MJU1, while the wiring board WB2 mounted with the electronic components is defective, the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components may be non-defective. In this case, since the entire module unit MJU1 becomes defective regardless of the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components being non-defective, the wiring board WB1 (non-defective product) mounted with the electronic components is also discarded.
On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, before the formation of the module unit MJU1, first, the unit test on the wiring board WB1 mounted with the electronic components is carried out, and the unit test on the wiring board WB2 mounted with the electronic components is carried out. Further, in the present embodiment, the module unit MJU1 is formed using the wiring board WB1 determined to be non-defective in the unit test and the wiring board WB2 determined to be non-defective in the unit test. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is not considered that either of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 configuring the module unit is comprised of the defective product, and the other thereof is comprised of the non-defective product. From this point, according to the present embodiment, the non-defective product configuring part of the module unit MJU1 which is defective can be suppressed from being wasted as in the related art. As a result, according to the manufacturing method of the electronic apparatus in the present embodiment, the manufacturing cost of the electronic apparatus can be reduced.
In the test process in the present embodiment as described above, after execution of the unit test on the wiring board WB1 and the unit test on the wiring board WB2, the module unit MJU1 comprised of the laminated structure of the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 is formed, and the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is carried out. In this case, in regard to the unit test on the wiring board WB2, a plurality of test terminals are further provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB2 with the connector CNT1 disposed thereover, considering that needle application is performed even onto the connector CNT1, whereby the unit test on the wiring board WB2 is executed at the lower surface of the wiring board WB2. On the other hand, in regard to the unit test on the wiring board WB1, a plurality of test terminals are further provided over the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 with the connector CNT1 disposed thereover, considering that the needle application is performed on the connector CNT1, whereby the unit test on the wiring board WB1 is performed at the upper surface of the wiring board WB1. Further, in regard to the coupling test subsequent to the formation of the module unit MJU1, a plurality of test terminals are provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1, whereby the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is performed at the lower surface of the wiring board WB1. This is because, since the module unit MJU1 is formed by lamination in the state in which the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 and the lower surface of the wiring board WB2 are made opposite to each other, the needle application cannot be performed on the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 or the lower surface of the wiring board WB2 after the formation of the module unit MJU1. From this point, the coupling test after the formation of the module unit MJU1 is performed at the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 by using the test terminals provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1.
Now, as a configuration that the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is performed after the formation of the module unit MJU1, there are considered a configuration that test terminals are provided over the upper surface of the wiring board WB2 to execute the coupling test, and a configuration that test terminals are provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 to execute the coupling test. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the configuration that the test terminals are provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 to carry out the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is adopted. This reason is however as follows: While power is supplied from an external power supply such as a battery to the module unit MJU1, an external terminal supplied with external power from the external power supply is provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1, and the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is required to be done using the external power supplied from the external power supply and GND (ground). From this point, in the present embodiment, the configuration that the test terminals are provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 to execute the coupling test is adopted as the configuration to execute the coupling test on the module unit MJU1.
From the above, in the test process in the present embodiment, the test terminals are provided over the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 to carry out the unit test on the wiring board WB1, and the coupling test after the formation of the module unit MJU1 is carried out using the test terminals provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1. From this point, in the present embodiment, the test terminals are provided over both of the upper and lower surfaces of the wiring board WB1. That is, in the present embodiment, the test terminals are provided over both surfaces of the wiring board WB1 to execute the test process that the module unit MJU1 is formed to carry out the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 after the execution of the unit test on each of the wiring boards WB1 and WB2. That is, the test process in the present embodiment is realized by the configuration that the test terminals are provided over both surfaces of the wiring board WB1.
<Layout Configuration of Wiring Board WB1>
A description will next be made about a layout configuration of the wiring board WB1.
Here, in
Further, as shown in
Besides, as shown in
Subsequently,
In the present embodiment, as shown in
Also, in the present embodiment, as shown in
Further, as shown in
Besides, as shown in
Next,
<Coupling Relationship Between Terminals Used in Test Process>
While the test terminals are provided over both surfaces of the wiring board WB1 as described above, for example, the semiconductor device SA1 and the connector CNT1 are mounted over the wiring board WB1, and the external terminals TE1 are provided at the wiring board WB1 as shown in
Therefore, a description will be made below about one example of a coupling relationship among a plurality of test terminals used in the test process in the present embodiment, microcomputer terminals for the semiconductor device SA1, connector terminals for the connector CNT1, and external terminals TE1.
As shown in
Further, as shown in
<Details of Unit Test Process>
Subsequently, the details of the unit test process for the wiring board WB1 will be described. First, in
Incidentally, as the microcomputer terminals for the semiconductor device SA1, microcomputer terminals exist even besides the microcomputer terminals MP1 to MP13 coupled to the connector terminals CNP1 to CNP13, the first external sensor input terminal MT4 and the second external sensor input terminal MT5 coupled to the external terminals TE1, the test input terminal MT2, the test output terminal MT3, and the clock monitor terminal MT1. Also, the microcomputer terminals are microcomputer terminals coupled to the op amplifier OPAMP, the regulator RGL, the crystal oscillator Xtal1, and the sensor module SM mounted over the wiring board WB1 as shown in
The unit test on the wiring board WB1 described as above is carried out by pressing the test probe against each of the connector terminals CNP1 to CNP13 and the test terminals TP1 to TP7 provided over the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 while pressing and fixing the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 by a testing jig. From this point, as shown in
<Details of Coupling Test Process>
A description will next be made about the details of a coupling test process after the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 are laminated and coupled to form the module unit MJU1. In the present embodiment, the coupling test on the module unit MJU1 is performed after the unit test on the wiring board WB1 and the unit test on the wiring board WB2 are carried out. Therefore, since the wiring board WB1 and the wiring board WB2 which configure the module unit MJU1 assembled in the present embodiment have been confirmed to be non-defective products, coupling confirmation at the connector CNT1 is performed in the coupling test on the module unit MJU1. When performing the coupling test, it is carried out using the test terminal TP8 coupled to the external power supply terminal Z1, the test terminal TP11 coupled to the GND terminal Z2, the test terminal TP9 coupled to the test input terminal MT2, and the test terminal TP10 coupled to the test output terminal MT3 as shown in
<Features of Embodiment>
The wiring board WB1 in the present embodiment is mounted with the electronic components and provided with the external terminals TE1 and the test terminals TP1 to TP11. Thus, upon promoting miniaturization of the electronic apparatus including the wiring board WB1, it is important to devise not only the arrangement configuration of the electronic components but also the arrangement configuration and shapes of the external terminals TE1 and test terminals TP1 to TP11. Thus, in the present embodiment, particularly, the arrangement configuration and shapes of the external terminals TE1 and test terminals TP1 to TP11 provided over the wiring board WB1 are devised to realize miniaturization of the wiring board WB1. A description will be made below about feature points in the present embodiment which has been given this devisal.
The first feature point in the present embodiment resides in that the test terminals TP1 to TP6 provided over the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 are collectively disposed as shown in
Similarly, in the present embodiment, the test terminals TP8 to TP10 provided over the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 are also collectively arranged as shown in
In the present embodiment in particular, since the test terminal forming area is formed over the upper surface of the wiring board WB1, close to the corner of the wiring board WB1 so as to include part of the side SD1 and part of the side SD2 in the wiring board WB1 as shown in
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in
Similarly, in the present embodiment, as shown in
Subsequently, the second feature point in the present embodiment resides in that as shown in
Likewise, as shown in
According to the present embodiment in particular, as shown in
Next, the third feature point in the present embodiment resides in that as shown in
As shown in
Here, the first external sensor GND terminal Z4 and the second external sensor GND terminal Z5 are both supplied with the GND potential. In other words, the first external sensor GND terminal Z4 and the second external sensor GND terminal Z5 are supplied with the same potential. Focusing on this point, in the present embodiment, the first external sensor GND terminal Z4 and the second external sensor GND terminal Z5 are devised so as to be placed in adjacent positions, and the first external sensor GND terminal Z4 and the second external sensor GND terminal Z5 are coupled to each other. As a result, according to the present embodiment, the occupied areas for disposing the six through holes TH can respectively be reduced by unnecessity of the space between the first external sensor GND terminal Z4 and the second external sensor GND terminal Z5.
At this time, there can also be adopted such a configuration that a through hole TH corresponding to the first external sensor GND terminal Z4, and a through hole TH corresponding to the second external sensor GND terminal Z5 are coupled as shown in
As described above, according to the third feature point indicative of the device related to the arrangement configuration of the six through holes TH, the miniaturization of the wiring board WB1 can be promoted, Thus, according to the present embodiment, the miniaturization of the wiring board WB1 can be promoted at the upper surface of the wiring board WB1 by a synergistic effect between the first and second feature points each related to the arrangement positions of the test terminals TP1 to TP7, and the third feature point related to the arrangement configuration of the through holes TH. Likewise, the miniaturization of the wiring board WB1 can be promoted at the lower surface of the wiring board WB1 by a synergistic effect between the first and second feature points each related to the arrangement positions of the test terminals TP8 to TP11, and the third feature point related to the arrangement configuration of the through holes TH.
At last, a description will be made about the four feature point in the present embodiment.
In the present embodiment, however, as shown in
Although the invention made above by the present inventors has been described specifically on the basis of the preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments referred to above. It is needless to say that various changes can be made thereto within the scope not departing from the gist thereof.
The above embodiment includes the following mode.
(Appendix 1)
An electronic apparatus functioning as a component of a wireless communication system, which includes:
a first wiring board, and
a second wiring board electrically coupled to the first wiring board via a connector,
in which the first wiring board and the second wiring board are laminated and arranged in an opposed state of an upper surface of the wiring board and a lower surface of the second wiring board to configure a module unit,
in which a plurality of first test terminals are collectively provided in a first test terminal forming area of the upper surface of the first wiring board, and
in which a plurality of second test terminals are collectively provided in a second test terminal forming area of the lower surface of the first wiring board.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2014-221584 | Oct 2014 | JP | national |