Integrated portable electronics tester
Contents
1. Patent Application Publication Mar 29 2012 Sheet 8 of 8 US 2012 0074254 Al 152 15 157 154 A H 161 H 158 H E 159 155 US 2012 0074254 Al INTEGRATED PORTABLE ELECTRONICS TESTER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 0001 This application is a divisional of prior U S appli cation Ser No 12 080 915 filed on Apr 7 2008 which is a continuation in part of prior U S application Ser No 11 513 622 filed on Aug 31 2006 now abandoned the con tents of which are incorporated herein by reference BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0002 1 Field of Invention 0003 The invention relates generally to the field of testing the condition of a computer or laptop and the components and or peripherals thereof and includes an apparatus and method for achieving testing 0004 2 Description of the Related Art 0005 Diagnosis of a faulty computer system can be a difficult process The computer service technician is charged with identifying all the faults in a given system in quick and accurate fashion Prior to the advent of the instant invention the methods a technician may utilize to accomplish this task qualify as unsatisfactory Presently one method entails trial and error replacing the various components of a PC with components that are known to work properly This constitutes a cumbersome and time consuming process that requires the technician to continually have on hand an inventory of tools an2. FIG 6 illustrates The Power Supply Test Module 119 is designed to provide complete testing of a laptop PC s power supply as well as to provide power to a laptop PC whose power supply has malfunctioned It will consist of a DC power supply comprising a rectifier and AC to DC con verter which supply is capable of producing electrical power sufficient to enable not only the module s own operation but to provide power to a malfunctioning laptop PC an autorang ing sensor that allows the module to supply the specific requested power for an individual unit under test on demand an LCD screen on which the condition of a power supply under test can be indicated 121 a microprocessor suitable for controlling the LCD screen one or more nonvolatile memory means suitable for storing commands and operating instruc tions for the microprocessor and LCD screen subsystem a series of inputs for the power supply tester suitable to inter face any power supply connector type in common use in the art 122 129 a first DC power output with a universal connec tor a series of adapters for the first DC power output s uni versal connector suitable to interface the DC output with any power supply connector in common use in the art 132 139 a second DC power output with a SATA peripheral power con nector preferably featuring a retractable cable and a selector wheel for the adapters for use with the first DC power output 131 described more particularly bel
3. how they relate to one another and how to interpret the various and extensive results and or outputs of the tests In short there is a burden placed upon the technician to coordinate and understand the large and diverse number of data with which he is regularly pre sented 0009 Furthermore the hardware diagnostic tools pres ently available and known in the art make no provision for the testing of a computer s software configuration This consti tutes a glaring weakness since as present day computers Mar 29 2012 evolve the software configuration is at least as important to proper operation as the hardware A service technician cannot be said to have made a complete diagnosis unless he has also tested a computer s software This is particularly true in light of the current epidemic of viruses and spyware at present nearly every Windows based machine the service technician encounters will be infested with some form of malware Additionally the service technician will frequently need to retrieve data stored on a malfunctioning computer and no tool presently available makes any provision for such data retrieval due to the design of present systems 0010 A large number of diagnostic tools for individual PC components are known to the art and in fact are in wide use in the industry But there exists in the art no portable univer sal completely modular expandable and upgradeable device that integrates into one pac
4. and universal But this device while an obvious improvement to other testers known in the art is limited in scope to the testing of video and audio In a field service environment it would be just one more tool in the service technician s kit rather than an integrated diagnostic solution 0015 U S Pat No 6 775 192 issued to Harrington et al in 2004 discloses a DRDRAM chip tester which differs from other DRDRAM testers known to the art in that it can test a memory chip in a reduced power state But this device requires the memory chips to be inserted in the device s test banks In a field service environment the end user would be obliged to remove the chips from the computer under test and place them in the device This is an obvious inconvenience But far more importantly this device tests only the memory chips themselves In a field service environment the service technician requires amemory test that tests the entire memory subsystem It is imperative therefore that the field service technician test memory chips in their native operating envi ronment a test the Harrington device cannot conduct 0016 U S Pat No 4 837 764 issued to Russello in 1989 discloses an apparatus and method for testing the condition of computer peripherals This device however is limited in scope to the testing of computer peripherals such as printers and modems It makes no provision for the testing of internal PC components This devi
5. device s era But Macintosh computers no longer make use of boot ROMs and Windows platform PCs never did The Martin device would not function on any PC manu factured today Moreover even when the Macintosh s boot ROM system was state of the art this device could make no claim to universality The Macintosh never enjoyed much market support this device would function on at best one machine in ten A computer testing device that cannot test Windows based PCs isn t of much practical value 0020 Insummary investigation of these disclosed devices illustrates that presently there is no single device known in the art that meets the requirements of a field service techni cian as nothing in the prior art discloses a portable integrated tester which allows the user to check a variety of component and functionality SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0021 The instant invention as illustrated herein is clearly not anticipated rendered obvious or even present in any of the prior art mechanisms either alone or in any combination thereof 0022 The primary object of the present invention is to provide a single portable device useful for computer and laptop diagnostics and repair which device integrates into one package all the tools a field service technician needs in his daily business 0023 Another object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic device that can be upgraded to accommodate such new technology as will inevita
6. either a notebook or desktop PC he will connect it to the device using either the SATA Standard Input Port 15 or the SATA Standard Input Output Port 17 and power it using the SATA Peripheral Power Output 11 from the Power Supply Test Module Regardless of how the drive to be tested is connected the module will then transmit connection data to the device s companion PC via the module s PC Data Link Port 36 The mass storage device being tested will appear normally on the companion PC where it can be tested or its data copied 0055 This module can also be used to clone a hard disk drive The Mass Storage Test Module Mode Selector Switch 16 controls the function of the three mass storage input output ports 14 17 and 19 When this switch is in Copy mode these ports function as inputs when in Clone mode they function as outputs To clone a hard disk completely the technician need only set the module to Clone mode and attach it to one of the module s input only ports 13 15 or 18 The data will then be copied onto a device attached to any one of the output ports During the cloning process the LCD screen 3 will display the task progress along with any errors that may arise 0056 The Cable Continuity Testing Module 42 is designed to test the continuity of a variety of cables com monly used in PCs It consists of a low capacity power source preferably either a capacitor charged from the device s main power su
7. module can be redesigned in future to accommodate changes in power supply technology and thus as the ATX style connectors that are the current state of the art become obsolete and are replaced with newer standards new modules can be easily designed that will allow the device to test and power devices built to those newer standards 0044 When the technician engages a PC that cannot power on the end user will begin his diagnostic procedure by testing the PC s power supply He will connect the power supply s Molex connector to the ATX BTX Molex Power Connector Test Input Port 9 If the PC to be tested has a Pentium IV processor he will also connect the power sup ply s auxiliary power connector to the Pentium IV Auxiliary Power Connector Test Input Port 7 otherwise this port will not be used The condition of the power supply will be indi US 2012 0074254 Al cated on the Power Supply Tester Indicator LEDs 6 as fol lows if all of these LEDs light up the power supply functions to specifications if one or more fail to light the power supply is defective and needs replacement 0045 If by means of this test the end user determines that the power supply is defective he can then use the device as a surrogate power supply in order to power the PC for further testing To achieve this the user unspools the ATX BTX Molex Power Output 8 and connects it to the PC s mother board If the PC has a Pentium IV processor he also unspoo
8. Power Supply Test Module being designed to deliver the required power for any device on demand will then power the laptop according to its specifi cations allowing the technician to proceed to further testing 0075 FIG 7 illustrates a The POST RAM Diagnostics Module 141 is designed to provide complete testing of a PC s Power On Self Test POST process processor mother board and system memory and also to provide surrogate system memory or even a surrogate processor as needed It consists of a microprocessor one or more nonvolatile memory means used to store the test subroutines and a data base of error codes and resolutions a means of communicat ing with the device s companion personal computer PC preferably a USB or Ethernet interface to load new or updated test routines and or POST error codes into its non volatile memory a volatile memory means to be used in the event of faulty volatile memory in the PC under test a POST RAM Diagnostics Cable designed to fit into a standard Por table Computer Memory Card Interface Adapter PCMCIA or PC Card expansion slot and to function on the PC s PCMCIA bus 143 0076 Here too it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that this module can be easily redesigned in future to accom modate changes in technology Indeed the module will receive updated POST error and resolution information via its communication means as often as needed and when the PCMCIA
9. US 20120074254A1 a2 Patent Application Publication 10 Pub No US 2012 0074254 Al as United States Delory 43 Pub Date Mar 29 2012 54 INTEGRATED PORTABLE ELECTRONICS TESTER 76 Inventor Paul Delory Malden MA US 21 Appl No 13 312 155 22 Filed Dec 6 2011 Related U S Application Data 60 Division of application No 12 080 915 filed on Apr 7 2008 now Pat No 8 095 339 which is a continua tion in part of application No 11 513 622 filed on Aug 31 2006 now Pat No 7 376 537 Publication Classification 51 Int Cl B65H 75 30 2006 01 E E E T 242 396 2 57 ABSTRACT A device and method for testing the functionality of various electronic device components The device is portable and is capable of being upgraded with changes in technology The device is enclosed within a housing which comprises a power supply and a display The disclosed device incorporates a tester for personal computer and laptop components includ ing but not limited to power supply microprocessor moth erboard system memory video subsystem mass storage devices and cables 152 153 161 155 J 157 154 158 159 160 Patent Application Publication Mar 29 2012 Sheet 1 of 8 US 2012 0074254 Al FIG 1 US 2012 0074254 A1 Mar 29 2012 Sheet 2 of 8 Patent Application Publication c O14 S Ala pp ry E SA asa e FIG 3 Patent Applica
10. bly be developed while still remaining useful for older and legacy technologies 0024 Another object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic device that can also replicate the functions of faulty PC and laptop components allowing the PC or laptop under test to be operated normally and in its native operating environment so that all components can be tested in environ ment and under their normal operating conditions 0025 Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that enables the service technician to test a PC or laptop s software configuration and to retrieve data stored on a PC even when that PC cannot do so itself due to some malfunction 0026 Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for the diagnosing and repairing of a computer or laptop that requires no system specific knowledge on the part of the end user and relatively little general repair knowledge 0027 There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important features of the portable electronics tester in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated There are additional fea US 2012 0074254 Al tures of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto 0028 In this respect before explaining at least one embodime
11. ce is not portable This device makes no provision for upgrading to new technologies and indeed the technologies around which this device is built are now obsolete meaning that this device would not function with any PC peripheral sold today Furthermore the Russello device relies upon a series of diagnostic cards which cards need to be written with diagnostic routines suitable for each individual peripheral under test This solution is impracti cable To have on hand a diagnostic card appropriate for every peripheral type known in the art would be not just unneces sarily cumbersome but virtually impossible 0017 U S Pat No 5 357 519 issued to Martin in 1994 discloses a device and method for diagnosing a faulty com puter system without disassembling the system These non intrusive diagnostics of a computer system allow the end user to connect the Martin device to the externally accessible ports of a malfunctioning PC whereupon the device will execute a series of test routines and report back to the end user any errors in the PC s hardware it finds Since PCs are built in many different configurations the device operates via a series of removable ROM packs and port packs The user inserts the appropriate ROM pack which contains the appro priate test routines for the particular PC under test and the appropriate port pack which replicates the port configuration on the particular PC under test Thus the Martin devic
12. ctor wheel 107 as described more particularly below 0071 When a technician encounters a laptop PC that does not display video he must first determine whether the laptop is delivering video to its integrated video display and then whether the video display is displaying it properly since the problem could lie with either or both of these components To do this he will first disconnect the laptop s integrated video display from its video controller on the laptop s motherboard select the appropriate adapter on the tool and then connect the laptop s display to the tool The tool will send a video test pattern to the laptop s display If the video test pattern dis plays properly the technician knows the display is function ing if it does not the technician knows the display is faulty and needs to be replaced Next the technician will test the laptop s video card and video output system To do this he will select the appropriate adapter from the adapter wheel and connect the laptop s video controller to the device The video controller s normal output can then be displayed on a standard PC video monitor connected either the standard SVGA video output 103 or the standard DVI video output 102 Alternatively if a known good reference monitor is not available at the time of testing the apparatus will verify that raw data is being passed from the video controller and dis play confirmation on its internal LCD display 0072
13. d known good parts 0006 Another method is to use a variety of computer testing tools which are known in the art to test all the various components peripherals of the PC Once again to accomplish testing and repair in this manner the technician must have on hand a large inventory of tools each designed to test a single PC component Further the technician must once again possess an inventory of known good parts to replicate the function of components he finds to be faulty 0007 These methods become even more unsatisfactory when one considers how quickly technology changes In order to stay abreast of the frequent and substantial changes in computing technology the technician must always be pur chasing new tools designed to test the functionality of such new devices and standards as are developed Moreover when these new devices and standards are developed their adoption is never immediate meaning that a technician will always be required to service a mix of old and new technologies Thus he does not simply discard his old tools in favor of the new but rather adds the new tools to the old 0008 The result of these practices is a toolbox that is ever larger ever more unwieldy and ever more expensive Of higher import if a technician requires a large number of tools in his daily business he must be proficient in the use ofa large number of tools As well the technician must understand how to operate each of the tools in his kit
14. e allows an end user with little training to diagnose PC prob lems accurately without ever needing to access the interior of the PC under test 0018 As with the Russello device the Martin device relies upon a series of removable ROM packs and port packs requiring the end user to have on hand two accessory packs for each computer to be tested if these packs are not present the device cannot function These packs are cumbersome and they call into question the Martin device s claim to portabil ity Although the device itself may be portable the end user must also carry a potentially very large number of ROM and port packs Furthermore the Martin device makes no provi sion for replicating a malfunctioning PC s faulty compo Mar 29 2012 nents While it uses its own components to compensate for the missing functionality of faulty components it runs its own software based test routines rather than enabling the PC under test to load into its normal operating environment Thus the end user cannot assess the condition of a PC s software configuration nor can he retrieve data from a mal functioning PC using the Martin device 0019 Most importantly however the Martin device s diagnostic method is irreparably obsolete It simply would not function with today s technology Many of its diagnostic subroutines rely upon accessing the Test Manager diagnostic program stored in the boot ROMs of the Macintosh comput ers of this
15. e test pattern will then be displayed again If the end user can now see the test pattern he knows the PC s monitor is working normally and that its video card is defective and needs replacement if the test pattern does not display the end user knows this monitor is defective 0051 The Mass Storage Testing Module 41 is designed allow the user to connect a mass storage device usually a hard disk drive to the device in order to 1 test its condition and functionality 2 identify any errors or problems that may be present in the software stored on the mass storage device being tested and 3 make it usable on a functioning PC so that any data stored on the mass storage device being tested can be retrieved It consists of a microprocessor a nonvolatile memory means used to store commands and instructions for the microprocessor a volatile memory means to be used as a data buffer a series of input ports to which a mass storage device can be connected in order to make it visible and read able to the device s companion PC namely an IDE standard desktop input port 13 an IDE standard notebook input port 18 anda SATA standard input port 15 a series of input output ports which can be used either as secondary inputs or as destination output ports for the devices connected to the input ports as described above namely an IDE standard desktop input output port 19 an IDE standard notebook input output port 14 and a SATA standard input ou
16. em should any prove faulty It will consist of a microprocessor one or more video logic controllers suitable to drive any of the various displays in common use in the art one or more nonvolatile memory means used to store commands and instructions for the micro processor and video logic controller s a video output capable of sending video test patterns to a video display under test featuring a retractable cable terminating in a receiver designed to accommodate an adapter a series of adapters suitable to interface the receiver terminating the video output cable with any connector type in common use in the art 108 US 2012 0074254 Al and 110 112 which adapters are arranged on a selector wheel 105 described more particularly below a standard SVGA video connector for the video output 103 a standard DVI video connector for the video output 102 a selector switch 113 controlling the destination of the video being output and capable of directing the output to the SVGA video connector the DVI video connector or the assortment of laptop video interface adapters a video input capable of receiving video from any laptop video controller then in common use in the art featuring a retractable cable terminating in a receiver designed to accommodate an adapter a series of adapters suitable to interface the receiver terminating the video input cable with any connector type then in common use in the art 114 118 which adapters are arranged on a sele
17. he PC s PCI bus inputs for a standard ATX BTX Molex connector the third DC power output with a standard ATX BTX peripheral power output connector preferably featuring a retractable cable and a fourth DC power output with a SATA peripheral power connector pref erably featuring a retractable cable 0033 FIG 4 is a flow chart of the method 0034 FIG 5 is an isometric view of the instant invention further illustrating a video test module for testing a laptop computer s video system 0035 FIG 6 is an isometric view of the instant invention further illustrating a power supply module for testing a laptop computer s power supply 0036 FIG 7 is an isometric view of the instant invention further illustrating a POST RAM test module for testing a laptop computer s POST process and RAM 0037 FIG 8 is an isometric view of the instant invention further illustrating a selector wheel for use in conjunction with the instant invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 0038 The instant invention which in its integrated form may be deemed the TechMate comprises an apparatus and methods for 1 testing the condition of computer compo nents and or peripherals 2 diagnosing specific problems with those components and or peripherals 3 providing electrical power to computers that cannot power themselves due to some malfunction 4 replicating the function of mal functioning PC components so that testing can
18. ion The operator then presses down on the selector wheel which lowers the selector wheel verti cally causing the adapter in the ready position to engage with the universal receiver The operator then grasps the adapter and pulls upward causing the retracted cable to extend through the gap in the selector wheel unspooling as it pays out 0084 Finally a key feature of the TechMate is its ability to receive upgrades All of the tools the TechMate incorporates are readily adaptable to any new technology that will arise since each connection originates from a removable plate on the device Although individual tools to test the various com ponents exist no tool available today has been successful in integrating these vast functions into one device I claim 1 An apparatus for the management storage and use of a series of adapters comprising a retractable cable a spool on which said retractable cable can be wound a one way locking gear for said spool a universal receiver terminating said retractable cable a selector wheel for adapters a spring permitting limited vertical motion of said selector wheel a metal tongue for said universal receiver permitting only engaging motion a release for said metal tongue and a release for said retractable cable x x
19. it has the ability to surrogate any of the above components if testing should prove them faulty Ifthe PC s processor is faulty this module s microprocessor will take over so that the remaining two tests can be run Similarly if the PC s system memory should prove faulty this module will allow the PC s processor to load the data it needs into the module s own volatile memory means so that the other tests can proceed 0080 On each module all adapters necessary to interface the universal connector with any of the myriad connector types it will encounter are arranged on a selector wheel This wheel is designed to allow them to be stored safely within the device so that they will not be lost or damaged in transit 0081 FIG 8 displays in its retracted position a retractable cable 152 spools completely into the module housing This cable terminates in a universal receiver 153 which when the cable is in its retracted position will face up toward the top of the housing The spool around which the cable is wound 150 features a one way locking gear 151 that permits the cable to extend while preventing it from retracting A release posi tioned on the top of the module 154 disengages the one way locking gear when necessary to permit the cable to retract The universal receiver is recessed into the housing 0082 The universal receiver 153 is a female connector 162 designed to accept a male retaining post This post enters the fema
20. ited functionality for laptops The desktop unit is designed to work with industry standardized technologies only those laptop components that are stan dardized can be diagnosed by the desktop unit While the apparatus is capable of testing laptop hard drives and the continuity of many important cables used in laptops But it is incapable of diagnosing laptop power supplies processors memory video output or video display panels as these com ponents which are standardized on desktop PCs have no equivalent uniformity on laptops There is a clear need then fora test device that is capable of diagnosing and repairing the diverse and sundry components it will encounter in the mobile computing environment 0013 But any solution will introduce a different problem Because of this proliferation of different connector types for laptop components the only practicable solutions will involve an assortment of adapters designed to interface the tool with the all the various connector types the tool s user will inevitably encounter in the field With any collection of adapters however there is always the risk that adapters will be lost or broken rendering the tool useless Therefore the device must also take measures to eliminate the risk of loss or breakage of these all important adapters US 2012 0074254 Al 0014 U S Pat No 5 991 805 issued to Krukovsky in 1999 discloses a tester for computer audio and video that is both portable
21. ize of a paperback book The device interfaces with any standard Windows laptop through a USB port and can even be incorporated into the same chassis with a laptop PC It includes a power supply tester PCI bus based testing for motherboards processors system memory and the POST process and cable continuity check ers More importantly it includes a surrogate power supply and a surrogate video card so that the technician in the field can still power up a PC with a malfunctioning power supply or can still get video output from a PC with a malfunctioning video card 0067 This enables the technician to proceed to further testing even when these devices do not work It allows him to test all the relevant hardware of a PC even when some of that hardware is malfunctioning Most importantly of all how ever the TechMate provides connectivity for hard disk drives This allows the field service technician to interface a malfunc tioning PC s hard disk with his laptop once there he can test the drive scan for any software errors scan for viruses and spyware and retrieve any data his client may need 0068 In addition to the instant invention possessing the capacity to fully test and run diagnostics on a personal com puter additional modules have been incorporated to allow for equivalent and substantive testing of a laptop s primary sys tems including power video and POST RAM as illustrated and described below 0069 Furthermore
22. kage all the tools a field service technician needs tests each PC component in its native oper ating environment replicates the function of faulty PC com ponents provides for the testing of a PC s software condition and allows for the retrieval of data from a malfunctioning PC 0011 Furthermore there are additional challenges when repairing a laptop PC over and beyond those described above because of the lack of standardization in mobile com puting Desktop PCs conform to rigid and detailed universal specifications which are set by industry groups and therefore utilized industry wide Laptop PCs however have far fewer such standards Individual manufacturers engineer their own components to their own specifications and therefore there is a vast assortment of different components in use in the indus try Components vary wildly between different manufactur ers between different models produced by the same manu facturer and even between different machines of the same make and model The service technician of course is charged with repairing all of these machines regardless of the differ ences in components Therefore he must have tools capable of diagnosing and repairing this large and sometimes baffling array of components 0012 The Portable Electronic Tester disclosed in U S patent application Ser No 11 513 662 to Delory and incor porated herein by reference while an important step in this direction has only lim
23. le connector and is held in place by a tongue 163 made of suitable material preferably steel The tongue is designed to lock the receiver and an adapter together with sufficient strength to permit the operator to extend the retractable cable by gripping the adapter To that end the tongue will permit only downward motion of the type that engages the adapter with the receiver and resists upward motion of the type that disengages adapter and receiver A release 164 serves to dis engage the tongue and permit the separation of receiver and adapter when necessary Mar 29 2012 0083 Positioned over the universal receiver flush with the top edge of the housing is a selector wheel 155 that rotates around a central axis and uses a spring 156 to allow it limited vertical motion A series of adapters 157 161 is arranged along this selector wheel Each adapter features on one end a male connector designed to fit into the female universal receiver 153 and on the other end a connector suitable to interface with whatever device it will be used to test The adapter is oriented such that the end designed to interface with the universal receiver faces the receiver This end of the adapter sits flush with the floor of the selector wheel and is designed to seal the gap in the selector wheel such that no dust or debris can pass beyond it The selector wheel is rotated so that the desired adapter is positioned above the universal receiver the ready posit
24. ls and connects the Pentium IV Auxiliary Power Output 10 otherwise this cable is not used 0046 The technician can now power the PC normally To boot the PC of course the technician will need to provide power to its hard drive and will do so by unspooling and connecting to the PC s hard drive either the ATX BTX Stan dard Peripheral Power Output 12 or the SATA Peripheral Power Output 11 depending on which power connector the component to be tested uses 0047 The POST RAM Video Diagnostics Module 39 is designed to provide complete testing of a PC s Power On Self Test POST process processor motherboard system memory and video subsystem and also to provide surrogate system memory a surrogate video card or even a surrogate processor as needed It consists of a microprocessor one or more nonvolatile memory means used to store the test sub routines and a database of error codes and resolutions a means of communicating with the device s companion per sonal computer PC preferably a USB or Ethernet inter face to load new or updated test routines and or POST error codes into its nonvolatile memory 36 a volatile memory means to be used in the event of faulty volatile memory in the PC under test a POST RAM Video diagnostics cable designed to fit into a standard PCI expansion slot and to function on the PC s PCI bus 1 and a standard SVGA video output port used for this module s video test subroutines 2 Here to
25. nt of the invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the draw ings The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting 0029 These together with other objects of the invention along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure For a better understanding of the invention its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 0030 FIG 1 is an isometric view of the instant invention illustrating an overview of the location of the Main Control Panel and the Four Removable Modules 0031 FIG 2 is an isometric view of the instant invention further illustrating the components of the Main Control Panel and the Four Removable Modules 0032 FIG 3 is an isometric view of the instant invention further illustrating t
26. o it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that this module can be easily redesigned in future to accommodate changes in technology Indeed the module will receive updated POST error and resolution information via its com munication means 36 as often as needed and when the PCI standard bus that is the current state of the art becomes obso lete this module can be easily redesigned with such new technology as will be developed 0048 When the end user encounters a PC that 1 does not POST or 2 does not power on even though the power supply tests normal he will unspool the POST RAM Diagnostics Cable 1 from the module and connect it to any available PCI slot on the motherboard First the module s microprocessor will execute the POST test subroutines stored in the nonvola tile memory means and conduct the POST test If there are errors detected in the POST it will record the POST error code s that were returned and reference them against the database of POST error codes and resolutions stored in its nonvolatile memory means 0049 It will then display any POST error codes for the user on the device s LCD screen 4 It will also list there in non technical language the remedy for the POST error codes drawn from the database of resolutions stored in its nonvola tile memory means Second the module s microprocessor will load the memory test subroutines stored in the module s nonvolatile memory means and test the system
27. ow Mar 29 2012 0073 Ofcourse it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that this module can be redesigned in future to accommodate changes in power supply technology and thus as the connec tors that are the current state of the art become obsolete and are replaced with newer standards new modules can be easily designed that will allow the device to test and power devices built to those newer standards 0074 Whena technician engages a laptop PC that does not power on he will begin his diagnostic procedure by testing the PC s power supply He will connect the laptop s power supply to the appropriate connector on the series of power supply inputs 122 129 The Power Supply Test Module will then attempt to draw power from the supply under test and will measure its output The output will be displayed on the LCD screen 121 measured in voltage and amperage The technician will then compare the actual output of the power supply under test with the optimal output this information can be found by FCC rules printed on the power supply itself or in the service manual should the printed badge be missing or illegible If the power supply proves defective the tech nician will then use the Power Supply Test Module to power the laptop for further testing To do so he will select the appropriate adapter from the DC output connector selection wheel 131 using this adapter to connect the DC power output to the laptop under test The
28. pply or a standard commercial battery such as a AA a means of communicating to the end user the results of the continuity testing preferably a small simple electro active speaker that will sound an audible signal when a circuit is completed in a functioning cable and a series of test ports to which the cables will be connected as are described below 0057 To test any cable the end user need only connect each end of the cable to each test port It makes no difference which end of the cable is plugged into which test port If the cable is sound and functioning to specifications the audible buzzer will sound ifthe cable is faulty it will not The module can test the following cables 0058 1 RJ 11 standard phone line by connecting 20 to 21 0059 2 RJ 45 standard Ethernet patch cable by con necting 24 to 25 0060 3 USB Type A to USB Type B by connecting 22 or 30 to 26 0061 4 USB Type B to USB Type B USB extension by connecting 22 to 30 0062 5 IDE Standard Desktop by connecting 23 to 26 0063 6 IEEE 1394 by connecting 28 to 29 0064 7 SATA by connecting 31 to 32 0065 8 SVGA by connecting 33 to 34 Once more it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that this module can be easily adapted to test any combination of cables Mar 29 2012 0066 The TechMate incorporates all the hardware diag nostic tools a field service technician needs in one portable device approximately the s
29. proceed unhindered and 5 retrieving user data from computers when they cannot do so themselves due to some malfunction Mar 29 2012 The apparatus is universal portable completely modular expandable and upgradeable for new technology 0039 The instant invention may be contained in a separate housing or integrated into the same chassis with a laptop computer However the device is accommodated it will con sist of a main control panel controlling and coordinating a series of modules designed to test all the relevant functions of a PC s components and peripherals 0040 Taking into account the present state of the art the current embodiment of the TechMate will feature four remov able modules 39 42 as shown in FIGS 1 3 These respective modules include a module for testing a malfunctioning per sonal computer s power supply 40 a module for personal computer s mass storage devices 41 a module for testing a personal computer s cable continuity 42 and a module for testing a personal computer s 39 POST RAM and video Again this is only the current embodiment since as technol ogy changes these modules can be replaced with modules designed to test whatever new technology is developed There can even be more or fewer modules depending upon the needs of the technology 0041 The TechMate Main Control Panel 38 is the main user interface for the device and controls and coordinates the individual test modules It consis
30. s memory If there are any problems detected with the system s RAM it will display those errors on the LCD screen 4 again in clear Mar 29 2012 non technical language Third the module s microprocessor will load the video test subroutines from the module s non volatile memory means and execute the video tests These video tests will display a test pattern on the PC s monitor The device will display on the LCD screen 4 a question asking the end user whether the test pattern displayed properly and will receive the user s input via the device s control panel 5 0050 Because this module has its own microprocessor volatile memory and video display subsystem it has the ability to surrogate any of the above components if testing should prove them faulty If the PC s processor is faulty this module s microprocessor will take over so that the remaining two tests can be run Similarly if the PC s system memory should prove faulty this module will allow the PC s processor to load the data it needs into the module s own volatile memory means so that the other tests can proceed Addition ally this module features an SVGA Video Output Port 2 that can be used when a PC s video card is faulty When an end user cannot see the test pattern that should be displayed on the test PC s monitor as part of the video subsystem test as described above he simply connects the PC s monitor to the SVGA Video Output Port 2 Th
31. standard bus that is the current state of the art becomes obsolete this module can be easily redesigned with such new technology as will inevitably be developed 0077 When the end user encounters a laptop PC that 1 does not POST or 2 does not power on even though the power supply tests normal he will unspool the POST RAM Diagnostics Cable 143 from the module and connect it to any available PCMCIA slot First the module s microprocessor will execute the POST test subroutines stored in the nonvola tile memory means and conduct the POST test If there are errors detected in the POST it will record the POST error code s that were returned and reference them against the database of POST error codes and resolutions stored in its nonvolatile memory means US 2012 0074254 Al 0078 It will then display any POST error codes for the user on the device s LCD screen 4 It will also list there in non technical language the remedy forthe POST error codes drawn from the database of resolutions stored in its nonvola tile memory means Second the module s microprocessor will load the memory test subroutines stored in the module s nonvolatile memory means and test the system s memory If there are any problems detected with the system s RAM it will display those errors on the LCD screen 4 again in clear non technical language 0079 Because this module has its own microprocessor volatile memory and video display subsystem
32. taking into account the present state of the art the current embodiment of the device will feature four removable modules 39 42 as shown in FIGS 1 3 These respective modules include a module for testing a malfunc tioning personal computer s power supply 40 a module for personal computer s mass storage devices 41 a module for testing a personal computer s cable continuity 42 and a mod ule for testing a personal computer s 39 POST RAM and video To this original embodiment will now be added three additional removable modules 101 119 and 141 as shown in FIGS 5 8 These modules include a module for testing a laptop computer s power supply 119 a module for testing a laptop computer s video system 101 and a module for testing a laptop computer s POST process and RAM 141 Again only the preferred embodiment is described herein since as technology changes these modules can be replaced with mod ules designed to test whatever new technology is developed Therefore those skilled in the art may utilize greater or fewer modules than present disclosed depending upon the needs of the technology at the time of operation of the instant inven tion 0070 FIG 5 illustrates the Laptop Video Test Module 101 is designed to allow complete testing of a laptop computer s video subsystem including its video controller integrated video display and inverter board if any and to surrogate the function of any element of the video syst
33. tion Publication Mar 29 2012 Sheet 4 of 8 US 2012 0074254 Al Pan defective Needs replacement t Does PC power on 2 Does PC POST FAIL Test Power Supply Run Motherboard and Processor Tests Device will display errors if components are defective Run RAM Tests Use device to power PC Proceed to further tests Defective pans need replacing Proceed to further testing a a FAIL Defective RAM Device will display errors if chips need Proceed to further testing components are defective replacing Results of POST test battery No errors found PC does not POST Errors found PC does not POST HDD is defective needs replacing 3 Does PC have video Use device to provide video output Proceed to further tests Video card defective Needs replacement BIOS chip needs to be flashed or replaced 4 Does PC enter BIOS Remove hard drive and connect to device for HDD error checking virus and malware scans and data recovery Replace HDD if fails tests All relevant hardware has been tested If PC does not load operating system problems are software related FIGURE 4 US 2012 0074254 A1 Mar 29 2012 Sheet 5 of 8 Patent Application Publication 101 FIG 5 US 2012 0074254 A1 Patent Application Publication Mar 29 2012 Sheet 6 of 8 FIG 6
34. tput port 17 and a mode selector switch that controls the function of the input output ports 16 0052 Again it will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that this module can be redesigned to accommodate changes in technology As the IDE and SATA standards become obso lete and are replaced by new standards this module can be easily replaced with new modules designed to test and read from such new mass storage technologies as shall be devel oped 0053 After he has conducted the power supply and POST RAM tests outlined above the technician still needs to test the PC s mass storage devices in particular its hard drive and he may wish to retrieve data stored thereon To do this he will connect the hard drive to the device Ifthe drive in question is an IDE type drive from a desktop PC he will connect it to the device using either the IDE Standard Desktop Input Port 13 or the IDE Standard Desktop Input Output Port 19 and will US 2012 0074254 Al power it using the ATX BTX Standard Peripheral Power Out put 12 from the Power Supply Test Module If the drive in question is an IDE type drive from a notebook PC he will connect it to the device using either the IDE Standard Note book Input Port 18 or the IDE Standard Notebook Input Output Port 14 and will again power it using the ATX BTX Standard Peripheral Power Output 12 from the Power Supply Test Module 0054 If the hard drive in question is a SATA type hard drive for
35. ts of a master power switch 3 ameans of communicating with the end user preferably an LCD screen 4 a means of receiving user input and com mands preferably a series of cursor controls 5 a micropro cessor and one or more nonvolatile memory means for stor ing commands and operating instructions 0042 The Power Supply Test Module 39 is designed to provide complete testing of a PC s power supply as well as to provide power to a PC whose power supply has malfunc tioned It will consist of a DC power supply comprising a rectifier and AC to DC converter which supply is capable of producing electrical power sufficient to enable not only the module s own operation but to provide power to a malfunc tioning PC a simple ATX BTX power supply tester with inputs for both a standard ATX BTX Molex connector 9 and a Pentium IV auxiliary power connector 7 a panel of LEDs to indicate a power supply s condition 6 a first DC power output with a standard ATX BTX Molex connector preferably fea turing a retractable cable 8 a second DC power output with a Pentium IV auxiliary power connector preferably featuring a retractable cable 10 a third DC power output with a standard ATX BTX peripheral power output connector preferably featuring a retractable cable 12 and a fourth DC power output with a SATA peripheral power connector preferably featur ing a retractable cable 11 0043 Ofcourse it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that this
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