System and method for synchronizing execution of a test sequence

• US 20020124042A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: National Instruments Corporation (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Melamed, Douglas, Grey, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,093,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/00 Testing of engines

Abstract

A system and method for synchronizing execution of multiple processes or threads executing to perform tests of one or more units under test. A test executive software application may enable a user to create a test sequence to test a unit under test, wherein the test sequence comprises a plurality of steps. In one embodiment, one or more synchronization steps may be included in the test sequence, in response to user input requesting inclusion of the synchronization steps. Each synchronization step may be configured to perform a synchronization operation, in response to user input specifying the synchronization operation. There may be multiple synchronization step types available for inclusion in a test sequence, wherein each synchronization step type corresponds to a particular type of synchronization object, such as a mutex synchronization object, a semaphore synchronization object, a queue synchronization object, etc. Configuring a synchronization step to perform a synchronization operation may comprise associating program instructions with the synchronization step, such that the program instructions are executable to perform the specified synchronization operation. The test sequence may then be executed, wherein executing the test sequence comprises executing the one or more synchronization steps, i.e., executing the program instructions associated with the one or more synchronization steps in order to perform the specified synchronization operations. The test sequence may be executed multiple times concurrently, e.g., by multiple threads or processes, and the one or more synchronization steps in the test sequence may coordinate the execution of the multiple threads or processes to test a unit under test, according to the synchronization operations specified by the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for synchronizing multiple concurrent executions of a test sequence, the method comprising:

including a synchronization step in a test sequence, in response to user input requesting inclusion of the synchronization step;

configuring the synchronization step to perform a synchronization operation, in response to user input specifying the synchronization operation;

wherein said configuring the synchronization step to perform the synchronization operation comprises associating program instructions with the synchronization step, such that the program instructions are executable to perform the specified synchronization operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing the test sequence;

wherein said executing the test sequence comprises executing the synchronization step;

wherein said executing the synchronization step comprises executing the program instructions associated with the synchronization step to perform the specified synchronization operation.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein said executing the test sequence comprises executing the test sequence multiple times concurrently;

wherein said executing the synchronization step results in coordinating execution of either;

multiple threads executing the test sequence to test a unit under test;

or

multiple processes executing the test sequence to test a unit under test.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface useable to configure the synchronization step, wherein the graphical user interface is useable to specify a plurality of synchronization operations;

wherein the user input specifying the synchronization operation is received via the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving user input via the graphical user interface to specify configuration information for the specified synchronization operation;

wherein said configuring the synchronization step comprises configuring the synchronization step to perform the synchronization operation in accordance with the configuration information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the configuration information comprises information of one or more of the following types:

a name of a synchronization object on which to perform the specified synchronization operation;

a timeout value for the specified synchronization operation.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the specified synchronization operation comprises a “

create synchronization object”

operation;

wherein the user input specifying the synchronization operation comprises user input identifying a synchronization object to be created;

wherein said configuring the synchronization step to perform the synchronization operation comprises associating program instructions with the synchronization step, such that the program instructions are executable to create the synchronization object.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the specified synchronization operation comprises one of the following operations to be performed on a synchronization object:

a “

lock”

operation;

an “

unlock”

operation”

;

or a “

get status”

operation;

wherein the user input specifying the synchronization operation comprises user input identifying a synchronization object on which to perform the synchronization operation.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the synchronization step is associated with a synchronization object type;

wherein the synchronization step is configured to perform a specified synchronization operation associated with the synchronization object type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the synchronization object type is one of the following:

a mutex synchronization object;

a semaphore synchronization object;

a rendezvous synchronization object;

a queue synchronization object;

a notification synchronization object;

or

a batch synchronization object.

15. The memory medium of claim 11,

wherein the specified synchronization operation comprises a “

create synchronization object”

operation;

wherein the user input specifying the synchronization operation comprises user input identifying a synchronization object to be created;

wherein said configuring the synchronization step to perform the synchronization operation comprises associating program instructions with the synchronization step, such that the program instructions are executable to create the synchronization object.

17. The memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the synchronization step is associated with a synchronization object type;

wherein the synchronization step is configured to perform a specified synchronization operation associated with the synchronization object type.

11. A memory medium useable to synchronize multiple concurrent executions of a test sequence, the memory medium comprising program instructions executable to:

include a synchronization step in a test sequence, in response to user input requesting inclusion of the synchronization step;

configure the synchronization step to perform a synchronization operation, in response to user input specifying the synchronization operation;

wherein said configuring the synchronization step to perform the synchronization operation comprises associating program instructions with the synchronization step, such that the program instructions are executable to perform the specified synchronization operation.

12. The memory medium of claim 11, further comprising program instructions executable to:

execute the test sequence;

wherein said executing the test sequence comprises executing the synchronization step;

wherein said executing the synchronization step comprises executing the program instructions associated with the synchronization step to perform the specified synchronization operation.

13. The memory medium of claim 11, further comprising program instructions executable to:

display a graphical user interface useable to configure the synchronization step, wherein the graphical user interface is useable to specify a plurality of synchronization operations;

wherein the user input specifying the synchronization operation is received via the graphical user interface.

14. The memory medium of claim 13, further comprising program instructions executable to:

receive user input via the graphical user interface to specify configuration information for the specified synchronization operation;

wherein said configuring the synchronization step comprises configuring the synchronization step to perform the synchronization operation in accordance with the configuration information.

16. The memory medium of claim 11,

wherein the specified synchronization operation comprises one of the following operations to be performed on a synchronization object:

a “

lock”

operation;

an “

unlock”

operation”

;

or a “

get status”

operation;

wherein the user input specifying the synchronization operation comprises user input identifying a synchronization object on which to perform the synchronization operation.

18. The memory medium of claim 17, wherein the synchronization object type is one of the following:

a mutex synchronization object;

a semaphore synchronization object;

a rendezvous synchronization object;

a queue synchronization object;

a notification synchronization object;

or

a batch synchronization object.

20. The system of claim 19,

wherein the processor of the computer system is operable to execute the test sequence multiple times concurrently;

wherein said executing the one or more synchronization steps results in coordinating execution of either;

multiple threads executing the test sequence to test a unit under test;

or multiple processes executing the test sequence to test a unit under test.

21. The system of claim 19,

wherein at least one synchronization operation comprises a “

create synchronization object”

operation;

wherein said executing the one or more synchronization steps comprises executing program instructions operable to create a synchronization object.

22. The system of claim 19,

wherein at least one synchronization operation comprises one of the following operations to be performed on a synchronization object:

a “

lock”

operation;

an “

unlock”

operation”

;

or a “

get status”

operation;

wherein said executing the one or more synchronization steps comprises executing respective program instructions operable to;

lock a synchronization object;

unlock a synchronization object;

or get status information for a synchronization object.

23. The system of claim 19,

wherein each of the one or more synchronization steps is associated with a respective synchronization object type;

wherein each of the one or more synchronization steps is executable to perform a synchronization operation on a synchronization object of the associated synchronization object type.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the synchronization object types comprise one or more of the following synchronization object types:

a mutex synchronization object;

a semaphore synchronization object;

a rendezvous synchronization object;

a queue synchronization object;

a notification synchronization object;

or

a batch synchronization object.

26. The method of claim 25,

wherein said executing the test sequence comprises executing the test sequence multiple times concurrently;

wherein said executing the one or more synchronization steps results in coordinating execution of either;

multiple threads executing the test sequence to test the unit under test;

or

multiple processes executing the test sequence to test the unit under test.

19. A system operable to perform multiple concurrent executions of a test sequence, the system comprising:

a computer system including a processor and a memory;

a unit under test coupled to the computer system;

wherein the memory of the computer system stores a test sequence comprising a plurality of steps;

wherein the plurality of steps includes one or more synchronization steps;

wherein the processor of the computer system is operable to execute the test sequence;

wherein said executing the test sequence comprises executing the one or more synchronization steps;

wherein each of the one or more synchronization steps is executable to perform a synchronization operation.

25. A method for managing multiple concurrent executions of a test sequence, the method comprising:

storing a test sequence in a memory of a computer system, wherein the test sequence comprises a plurality of steps, wherein the plurality of steps includes one or more synchronization steps;

executing the test sequence to test a unit under test, wherein said executing the test sequence comprises executing the one or more synchronization steps;

wherein each of the one or more synchronization steps is executable to perform a synchronization operation.