Method and apparatus for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments

• US 20050240373A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Benvenga, Carl, Wubbena, William Hobson
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

In a method for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments, a harness cable is electrically coupled to a plurality of test signal ports on the plurality of test system instruments. A first plurality of test measurements are then initiated via the harness cable, with the first plurality of test measurements being made between two or more sets of test ports that are on three or more of the instruments. The plurality of test measurements are captured from the test system instruments using a computer. The computer then indicates to a user whether ones of the plurality of test measurements are within defined ranges. A second plurality of test measurements, between ones of the plurality of test instruments and a test module, may also be initiated via the harness cable. Exemplary harness cable embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments, comprising:

electrically coupling a harness cable to a plurality of test signal ports on the plurality of test system instruments;

initiating a first plurality of test measurements via the harness cable, the first plurality of test measurements being made between two or more sets of test ports that are on three or more of the test system instruments;

capturing the first plurality of test measurements from the test system instruments using a computer; and

indicating to a user, via the computer, whether ones of the first plurality of test measurements are within defined ranges.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the harness cable is electrically coupled to a switching network, the method further comprising:

between at least some of the first plurality of test measurements, programming the switching network to couple different ones of the plurality of test system instruments to each other.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said harness cable is coupled to a test module, the method further comprising:

initiating a second plurality of test measurements via the harness cable, the second plurality of test measurements being made as ones of the plurality of test system instruments measure characteristics of the test module;

capturing the second plurality of test measurements from the test system instruments using the computer; and

indicating to said user, via the computer, whether ones of the second plurality of test measurements are within defined ranges.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

via the computer, presenting said user an interface providing at least three options, including;

an option to query one or more of said test system instruments to determine whether said harness cable is properly coupled to said test system instruments;

an option to initiate one or more of said first plurality of test measurements; and

an option to initiate one or more of said second plurality of test measurements; and

in response to the user'"'"'s selection of each option, using said presented interface to provide the user with feedback on the selected option.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the harness cable is electrically coupled to a switching network, the method further comprising:

between at least some of the second plurality of test measurements, programming the switching network to couple different ones of the plurality of test system instruments to the test module.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said plurality of test system instruments comprises a number of measurement instruments, and wherein the harness cable is electrically coupled to a switching network, the method further comprising:

before initiating the second plurality of test measurements, programming the switching network to couple the number of measurement instruments to the test module.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after coupling the harness cable, but before initiating test measurements via the harness cable, automatically determining, via the computer, which test system instruments are coupled to the harness cable; and

in response to said determination, derive the first plurality of test measurements from a database of test measurements that may possibly be initiated via the harness cable.

8. Apparatus for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments, comprising:

a test module; and

a harness cable having i) a first plurality of signal routes extending between the test module and a switch interface, and ii) a second plurality of signal routes extending between the switch interface and a plurality of electrical connectors, said electrical connectors being configured to mate with a plurality of test signal ports on a plurality of test system instruments.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test module comprises an on-board battery, and wherein a voltage of said battery is output over one of said first plurality of signal routes.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of signal routes of the harness cable terminate in a connector that is detachably connected to the test module.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test module comprises circuitry for generating a waveform, said generated waveform being output over one of said first plurality of signal routes.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test module comprises a number of current limiting impedances, said current limiting impedances being connected to limit currents in a number of said second plurality of signal routes.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the switch interface comprises i) a circuit board to which one or more of the signal routes of the harness cable connect, and ii) a presence detect resistor coupled between contacts of the circuit board.

14. Apparatus for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments, comprising:

a test module; and

a harness cable having a plurality of signal routes extending between the test module and a plurality of electrical connectors, said electrical connectors being configured to mate with a plurality of test signal ports on a plurality of test system instruments.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the test module comprises circuitry for generating at least N functions representing linearly independent combinations of a plurality of signal sources that may be coupled to the electrical connectors of the harness cable.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the test module comprises a switching network, and wherein the harness cable connects to the test module via the switching network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the harness cable further comprises a second plurality of signal routes extending between the switching network and a switch programming interface.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the test module comprises an on-board battery, and wherein a voltage of said battery is output over one of said plurality of signal routes.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the plurality of signal routes of the harness cable terminate in a connector that is detachably connected to the test module.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the test module comprises a number of current limiting impedances, said current limiting impedances being connected to limit currents in a number of said plurality of signal routes.