Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Pulse or data error handling – Digital logic testing
Reexamination Certificate
1995-08-30
2001-08-21
Iqbal, Nadeem (Department: 2184)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Pulse or data error handling
Digital logic testing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279131
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is generally directed to the testing of electronic products by utilizing test equipment operating in response to instructions transmitted from a computerized test system. This invention more specifically addresses a computer controlled test system which minimizes the need to change a test program in response to a change of the specific test equipment to be used.
Test instruments operating in response to digital instructions generated by a personal computer (PC) facilitates the testing of electronic products connected to the test instruments. In a conventional system, a plurality of instructions are sent from the PC in accordance with predetermined program steps to particular test instruments in order to perform a test. The PC receives data from the test instruments indicative of the results of the test. Thus, the programming of the PC to implement such conventional test procedures depends on the specific test instruments to be utilized. Such a system provides generally good results with regard to testing electronic products as long as the specific test instruments for which the test system was originally programmed are utilized.
However, such test systems place significant burdens upon the test equipment designer when the test sequence has to be altered or when different test instruments have to be utilized which are not identical to the original test instruments. For example, the substitution of a digital multimeter manufactured by one vendor for a digital multimeter manufactured by a different vendor would typically require substantial revisions to the program, e.g. the sending of different instructions to the different multimeter and possibly the use of a different communication protocol to communicate with the different multimeter. This requires a substantial effort by the test equipment designer to merely accommodate the substitution of one multimeter with a different multimeter even though no functional changes were made in the testing of the electronic equipment.
Attempts have been made to improve the methodology by which computerized test routines are constructed. For example, National Instruments provides a software package known as “LabVIEW”. This software is a graphical programming package in which icons are used to denote programs and subroutines. These icons are cascaded together to build an interface which will allow a particular test instrument to make a test or to cause the instrument to take an action. While such efforts have helped test designers in the design and development of test programs, significant difficulties still remain which impair the designer's ability to accommodate different test instruments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to minimize the above referenced problem of accommodating different test instruments in a computerized test system. In one aspect, the present invention facilitates the substitution of like types of specific test instruments within a common class of instruments without revising the basic test program which utilizes such instruments. A further aspect of the present invention permits a test designer to debug and test a test program without connecting the specific test instruments which will be utilized for actual testing.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a computer implemented method is provided which generates digital instructions wherein the basic test program is isolated from specific test instruments used to carry out the test. An electronic testing system includes test instruments remotely controllable by digital instructions. A computer controls the testing of electronic products by issuing digital instructions to the test instruments and receiving the results of the test from the test instruments. A generic type of test instrument is specified in a stored program defining a sequence of tests to be made on the electronic product. The generic type identifies a class of test instruments, e.g. a digital multimeter called by the test sequence, but does not specify a specific test instrument within the class. At least one variable stored in memory of the computer is read based on the generic type of instrument defined. The value of the variable identifies one specific instrument within the generic type of instruments. A communication protocol to be utilized by the specific test instrument is also preferably identified to facilitate the receipt of the digital instructions and the transmission of test data to the computer. Digital instructions are generated and transmitted to the one specific instrument utilizing the one communication protocol. Thus, a different specific instrument can be used to perform the one test by merely changing the one variable to correspond to a different specific instrument without changing the basic stored program which only references the generic type of instrument to be used.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5479643 (1995-12-01), Bhaskar et al.
patent: 5566088 (1996-10-01), Herscher et al.
Archambeau Paula Marie
Hajjar James Michael
Mix Douglas Scott
Iqbal Nadeem
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Warren C. L.
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