System and method for testing hardware devices

• US 20060136785A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Dang, De-Hua, Shu, San-Yi, Weng, Yi-Ching
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/263 Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences ; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers

Abstract

A system for testing hardware devices applies a multi-level architecture including a Graphical User Interface (GUI) level (10), a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) level (20), and a device driving level (30). The GUI level selects test items and test units for a test project based on test requirements, stores the test project in a test script file, configures test parameters for performing the test project, and stores the test parameters in a test parameter configuration file. The DLL level transmits test results of each hardware device (108) to the GUI level. The device driving level includes a device driving module (107) for obtaining test information on the hardware device, comparing the test information with standard information in the test parameter configuration file, and generating a comparison result. A related method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for testing hardware devices, the system having a multi-level architecture comprising:

a Graphical User Interface (GUI) level for selecting test items and test units for a test project based on test requirements, storing the test project in a test script file, configuring test parameters for performing the test project, and storing the test parameters in a test parameter configuration file;

a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) level for transmitting test results of each hardware device to the GUI level; and

a device driving level comprising a device driving module for obtaining test information on each hardware device, comparing the test information with standard information in the test parameter configuration file, and generating a comparison result.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the GUI level comprises:

a test project editing interface for selecting test items and test units for the test project based on test requirements, and storing the test project in the test script file;

a test parameter configuring interface for configuring test parameters for performing the test project, and generating a test parameter configuration file; and

a test project performing interface for loading the test script file and the test parameter configuration file, controlling test procedures, and displaying the test results.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the DLL level comprises a DLL module and a plurality of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), the DLL module transmitting the test results to the GUI level via a corresponding one of the APIs.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device driving module comprises a plurality of Windows Kernel Driver (WKD) programs, for driving hardware devices in order to obtain test information on the hardware devices.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device driving level further comprises a plurality of device driving interfaces for transmitting the test results to the DLL level.

6. A computer-based method for testing hardware devices, the method utilizing a multi-level system architecture, and comprising the steps of:

providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) level, a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) level, and a device driving level;

selecting test items and test units for a test project, and storing the test project in a test script file;

configuring test parameters, and generating a test parameter configuration file;

loading the test script file and the test parameter configuration file;

loading a DLL file corresponding to one of the test items in the test script file;

loading a device driving interface corresponding to the DLL file;

testing a hardware device corresponding to the test item based on the test configuration file, and recording the test results;

transmitting the test results to the DLL level;

closing the device driving interface; and

determining whether any test items have not been tested, and displaying the test results if all test items have been tested.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of loading a DLL file corresponding to a next one of the test items, if there are any test items that have not been tested.

8. A method for testing hardware devices, comprising the steps of:

providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to allow user selecting test items corresponding to said hardware devices via said GUI;

grouping said selected test items into an executable test project to perform testing selected ones of said hardware devices based on said test project;

retrieving standard test parameters for each of said selected test items;

retrieving information from said selected ones of said hardware devices corresponding to said test items of said test project;

acquiring test results according to comparison of said information and said standard test parameters; and

showing said test results via said GUI together with and corresponding to said selected test items in said test project.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of loading a Device Driving Interface corresponding to each of said selected test items before said information-retrieving step to facilitate performing of said information-retrieving step.