The VATE is a cross platform (Linux/Win32), flexible, multisites and even is a multi-executives IC automatic test environment.

The VATE is a tranditional ATE software environment. It provides a software framework which allow test engineer to write single site test program (TP) and deploys the same TP for multisites environment without any modification.

Test engineer only need to focus on IC testing issue and left all system issue, such as single or multisites; resources managerment; data logging ..., to VATE environment.

The VATE is also an extension of your legacy test environment. All test taskes could be driven by client library. The thin client architecture allow VATE client library to be easily rewrite or port to legacy ATE environment, for example, SC312 which use SunOS 4.x with only K&R C compiler. And you can easily connect SC312 with VATE and use VATE as extension of your SC312 tester.

In fact, you don't even need a client library, only BSD socket support is required to use VATE (VATE could be completely controlled by 'telnet').

Features (Test Env.)

Prodution and Engineering mode support.

Multisites environment support, Zero change from single to multisites (from Lab. to Fab.)

Multiple VATE executives support, run different TPs parallelly.

Override, FailDisable control

Binbox for test result visilization

Per DUT retest features (base on HBIN)

Flexible plugin interface for BSP (board support package) and PHI allow you customize VATE for your application easily.

Flexible data logging (DAT module) include STDFv4 for both parametric/functional test.

Generic PHI (prober/handler interface) software framework.

Features (Design)

100% C impl. (no C++), generate fastest code with max. portability.

Client/Server architecture with Thin client design (string based control command).

Multiple clients support, allow integrate with external utilities via TCP/IP.

User defined extension functions (EXT module) which could be used in both test program and client to reduce complexity of multi-threads programming issue.

SLES/CentOS/WinXP/Win7 support for both Client/Server.

USER module plugin to customize VATE runtime policy and GUI (usually, for production mode).

Other OS support by contract.

Customize client library support (by contract) for Solaris, SunOS 4.x, HP-UX and almost all UNIX.

Customize BSP, PHI, DAT, USER module support (by contract).

MindMap

Here is VATE's mind map , it's a good summary of VATE.

Architecture