Product framework for managing test systems, supporting customer relationships management and protecting intellectual knowledge in a manufacturing testing environment

• US 20070094198A1
• Filed: 07/18/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Loh, Aik
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

A software framework for centralizing the management of test plans, test configurations, test sources, debug information for testing electrical devices in a manufacturing testing environment is presented. A three-tier software architecture is defined that allows one-time effort and segregation of tasks related to integration of hardware devices, development of multiple applications, and testing of multiple applications.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a test system knowledge base comprising centralized test system knowledge usable by a plurality of autonomous test systems; and

a central test information controller configured to receive requests for the centralized test system knowledge from the plurality of test systems and to provide the respective requested centralized test system knowledge to the requesting respective test systems.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the centralized test system knowledge comprises a test database that stores tests that can be executed on a tester.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the central test information controller comprises a test plan and test resource controller that controls storage and retrieval of tests in the test database.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the centralized test system knowledge comprises a test database that stores test plans comprising a suite of tests for testing a device on a tester.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the central test information controller comprises a test plan and test resource controller that controls storage and retrieval of tests plans in the test plan and test resource database.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the centralized test system knowledge comprises a rule-based action database comprising one or more rules associated with respective components, the rules specifying test actions to perform.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the central test information controller comprises an action knowledge database controller that controls storage and retrieval of rules and associated actions to be associated with respective components in the rule-based action database.

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the centralized test system knowledge comprises a localization database comprising localization information for presenting test system information to a user according to a specified localization parameter.

9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the central test information controller comprises a localization database controller that controls storage and retrieval of localization information in the localization database.

10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the centralized test system knowledge comprises a measurement data and/or statistics database comprising information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics.

11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the central test information controller comprises a measurement data and/or statistics controller that controls storage and retrieval of information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics in the measurement data and/or statistics database.

12. A test system, comprising:

one or more product testers;

a knowledge database comprising knowledge utilized by the one or more product testers;

a central test information controller configured to receive requests for the centralized test system knowledge from the one or more product testers and to provide the respective requested knowledge to the requesting one or more product testers, the test system knowledge base controller operating as a single point of control to the knowledge utilized by the one or more product testers.

13. The test system of claim 12, wherein:

the knowledge base comprises a test plan and test resource database for storing tests; and

the central test information controller comprises a test plan and test resource controller that controls storage and retrieval of tests in the test plan and test resource database.

14. The test system of claim 12, wherein:

the knowledge base comprises an action knowledge database for automatically configuring tests; and

at least one of the one or more testers comprises an automated test generation function that accesses the action knowledge database by way of the test system central test information controller for use in automatically generating tests for execution on the at least one of the one or more testers.

15. The test system of claim 12, wherein:

the knowledge base comprises a localization database comprising localization information for presenting test system information to a user according to a specified localization parameter; and

the central test information controller comprises a localization database controller that controls storage and retrieval of localization information in the localization database.

16. The test system of claim 12, wherein:

the knowledge base comprises a measurement data and/or statistics database comprising information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics; and

the central test information controller comprises a measurement data and/or statistics controller that controls storage and retrieval of information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics in the measurement data and/or statistics database.

17. The test system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for remotely accessing the central test information controller.

18. A test system, comprising:

one or more product testers;

a knowledge database comprising knowledge utilized by the one or more product testers, the knowledge database comprising one or more of;

a test plan and test resource database for storing tests;

an action knowledge database for automatically configuring tests;

a localization database comprising localization information for presenting test system information to a user according to a specified localization parameter;

a measurement data and/or statistics database comprising information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics; and

a central test information controller that controls access to the knowledge database by each of the one or more product testers, the test system knowledge base controller operating as a single point of control to the knowledge utilized by the one or more product testers and comprising one or more of;

a test plan and test resource controller configured to receive requests for at least one of storage and retrieval of tests in the test plan and test resource database, and which performs the requested at least one of storage and retrieval of tests in the test plan and test resource database;

an action knowledge controller configured to receive requests for at least one of storage and retrieval of test configuration rules in the action knowledge database, and which performs the requested at least one of storage and retrieval of test configuration rules in the action knowledge database;

a localization database controller configured to receive requests for at least one of storage and retrieval of localization information in the localization database, and which performs the requested at least one of storage and retrieval of localization information in the localization database;

a measurement data and/or statistics controller configured to receive requests for at least one of storage and retrieval of information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics in the measurement data and/or statistics database, and which performs the requested at least one of storage and retrieval of information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics in the measurement data and/or statistics database.

19. A method for centralizing test system knowledge, the method comprising the steps of:

storing test system knowledge usable by a plurality of autonomous test systems in a centralized test system knowledge base; and

providing a central test information controller configured to receive requests for the centralized test system knowledge from the plurality of test systems and to provide the respective requested centralized test system knowledge to the requesting respective test systems only through the central test information controller.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing one or more of;

a test plan and test resource controller function that controls storage and retrieval of tests in a test plan and test resource database in the centralized test system knowledge base;

an action knowledge controller function that controls storage and retrieval of test configuration rules in an action knowledge database in the centralized test system knowledge base;

a localization database controller function that controls storage and retrieval of localization information in a localization database in the centralized test system knowledge base;

a measurement data and/or statistics controller function that controls storage and retrieval of information related to collected measurement data and/or statistics in a measurement data and/or statistics database in the centralized test system knowledge base.