Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
1996-06-17
2001-08-21
Courtenay, III, St. John (Department: 2151)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279124
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an adaptable system and method for testing multiple hardware and/or software applications.
BACKGROUND ART
It is well known that tools for automated testing of hardware and software applications, especially telephony based systems, are not widely available. Those tools that are available are specially designed for a particular application or applications, such as the testing of voice mail systems. Such tools are not readily adaptable for testing applications other than those for which they have been specifically designed.
Thus, new automated test systems must be designed and built each time new hardware and/or software applications are developed. This is a time consuming and expensive task. As a result, test systems are not developed for every hardware and/or software application. Many such applications therefore suffer from inadequate testing prior to release.
A need therefore exists for an improved automated testing tool that is readily adaptable for testing a plurality of hardware and/or software applications. Like prior art automated testing tools, such an improved testing system and method would drive a system under test adequately to verify that the system is error free operationally and robust from a load handling perspective. Errors in the system under test, including the device the error occurred on, the instruction that failed, and the actual error number, would be accurately reported. In addition, peg counts and timing would be gathered and reported.
In addition, however, such an improved system and method for testing hardware and/or software applications would take into consideration at every turn that the present projects under test may not reflect future projects due to constant and rapid technological changes. Such a system and method would therefore provide a very modular format so that they may be easily modified to meet the needs of future systems.
More particularly, such a system and method would provide for additional interface libraries (or layers thereof) to be added as new projects requiring testing were developed. Additionally, none of the infrastructure code or system control code would need to be modified in such cases. In that fashion, such a system and method would be capable of working in conjunction with existing test systems.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is the principle object of the present invention to provide an improved system and method for testing hardware and/or software applications that is adaptable for testing multiple applications.
According to the present invention, then, an adaptable system and method are provided for testing a plurality of applications. The system of the present invention comprises a test case generator for generating a plurality of test cases, each test case corresponding to one of the plurality of applications, and a multi-layered interface for communicating between corresponding test cases and applications. The system further comprises means for executing the test cases to generate test data, and means for recording the test data generated during execution of the test cases.
The method of the present invention comprises providing a test case generator for generating a plurality of test cases, each test case corresponding to one of the plurality of applications, and providing a multi-layered interface for communicating between corresponding test cases and applications. The method further comprises executing the test cases to generate test data, and recording the test data generated during execution of the test cases.
These and other objects, features and advantages will be readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4617663 (1986-10-01), Lake et al.
patent: 5157782 (1992-10-01), Tuttle et al.
patent: 5233611 (1993-08-01), Triantafyllos et al.
patent: 5359546 (1994-10-01), Hayes et al.
patent: 5390314 (1995-02-01), Swanson
patent: 5495571 (1996-02-01), Corrie, Jr. et al.
patent: 5544310 (1996-08-01), Forman et al.
patent: 5633909 (1997-05-01), Fitch
patent: 5671351 (1997-09-01), Wild et al.
patent: 5835566 (1998-11-01), Cowgill
Vogel, Peter A., “An Integrated General Purpose Automated Test Environment,” ACM 0-89791-608, pp. 61-69, 1993.*
Frohnhoff et al. “An Advanced TMN Test System—TSE-P—” IEEE pp 444-453, 1996.*
Glicker et al. “The Distributed Object Environment: Support for a Distributed Object-based System” ACM pp 293-298, 1992.
Brouwer Derek J.
Musson Scott Allan
Staats Neal Gordon
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Courtenay III St. John
Qwest Communications International Inc.
LandOfFree
Method and system for testing hardware and/or software... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and system for testing hardware and/or software..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and system for testing hardware and/or software... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2541143