System and method for testing electronic device performance

• US 20060026481A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Monnerat, Edward D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,155,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/741
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2825 in household appliances or professional audio/video equipment testing LAN's H04L43/50; testing TV systems H04N17/00; testing loudspeakers H04R29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers

Abstract

A system for testing electronic device performance includes a test device and at least one target device coupled to the test. The test device determines when at least one test command is incompatible with the at least one target device and modifies the at least one incompatible test command such that the at least one incompatible test command is compatible with the at least one target device. The test device presents the at least one compatible test command to the at least one target device and determines a response of the at least one target device to the respective at least one compatible test command.

Claims

1. A system for testing device performance, the system comprising:

a test device; and

at least one target device coupled to the test device, wherein the test device determines when at least one test command is incompatible with the at least one target device and modifies the at least one incompatible test command such that the at least one incompatible test command is compatible with the at least one target device, presents the at least one compatible test command to the at least one target device, and determines a response of the at least one target device to the respective at least one compatible test command.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the test device logs the test commands sent from the test device to the at least one target device and the respective responses from the at least one target device received by the test device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the test device generates at least one of a timing metrics, tuning metrics, error metrics, successful commands metrics, and failed commands metrics.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one test command is in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one target device includes a memory having serial-enabled platform code stored therein.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one test command is presented to the at least one target device using a serial communication protocol.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one test command is presented to the at least one target device using at least one of IEEE-1394 (Firewire), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, and parallel communication protocol.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of target devices is defined as a target device group, and the at least one test command is presented to the target device group.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein each target device of the target device group independently executes the at least one test command such that a success or failure response to at least one test command of a first target device does not affect a response of any other target device of the group.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the test device substantially simultaneously presents a plurality of the at least one test commands to a plurality of target devices.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one target device is a set top box and the target device is coupled to the at least one target device using an interface cable.

12. A method for testing device performance, the method comprising:

coupling a test device to at least one target device;

determining when at least one test command is incompatible with the at least one target device;

modifying the at least one test command when the at least one test command is incompatible with the at least one target device such that the at least one incompatible test command is compatible with the at least one target device;

presenting the at least one compatible test command to the at least one target device; and

determining a response of the at least one target device to the respective at least one compatible test command.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of generating a log of the test commands sent from the test device to the at least one target device and the respective responses from the at least one target device received by the test device.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of generating at least one of a timing metrics, tuning metrics, error metrics, successful commands metrics, and failed commands metrics.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising presenting the at least one test command to the at least one target device using a serial communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising presenting the at least one test command to the at least one target device using at least one of IEEE-1394 (Firewire), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, and parallel communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising defining the plurality of target devices as a target device group, and presenting the at least one test command to the target device group.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein each target device of the target device group independently executes the at least one test command such that a success or failure response to at least one test command of a first target device does not affect a response of any other target device of the group.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the target device is a set top box and the target device is coupled to the at least one target device using an interface cable.

20. A system for testing device performance, the system comprising:

a test device having a computer; and

at least one target device coupled to the test device using an interface cable, wherein the test device presents a script having at least one test command predetermined by a manufacturer of the target device to the at least one target device, and determines a response of the at least one target device to the respective at least one test command.