Device testing framework for creating device-centric scenario-based automated tests

• US 20070124114A1
• Filed: 11/29/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shapiro, Adam, Achtelstetter, Dieter, Martin, Travis
• Granted Patent: US 7,277,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/186
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management

Abstract

A target test framework and method are provided which can enable scenario writer(s) to design and implement driver test(s) by providing a platform to build scenario-based automated tests for device(s) and device driver(s) by using a set of components designed for target testing. The framework enables scenario writer(s) to perform a set of actions across different types device(s) without having to understand the detail of how those actions are implemented for each device. The framework further enables the testing of technology areas common to many targets (e.g., plug and play, power management, install/uninstall, security etc.) Additionally, the framework facilitates automatic identification and/or running of prewritten core functionality test that apply to a particular device. The framework further can allow runtime control of tests and the combining of framework components to form new device functionality tests and large scale scenarios.

Claims

1. A target test framework comprising:

at least one dynamic target object which represents a target of testing;

an evaluation component that collects, stores and provides dynamic data about targets of testing; and

,

a mapping component that matches implementations of interfaces based on the dynamic data associated with the targets of testing.

2. The framework of claim 1, further comprising at least one manageable test that comprises code of a test scenario to control a specific device and further provides an interface to control that test, the manageable test employs an action object to perform the test.

3. The framework of claim 2, the manageable test is controllable at runtime.

4. The framework of claim 2, the manageable test is a plug-in which allows for the addition of manageable test implementations of existing manageable test class(es) and/or the addition of custom-defined manageable test class(es).

5. The framework of claim 2, the manageable test can be started, paused and restarted while maintaining state.

6. The framework of claim 1, further comprising an action object that that comprises code to control a specific device and further provides an interface to control the specific device.

7. The framework of claim 1, the target object comprising a method to retrieve related target object(s).

8. The framework of claim 1, the target object comprising a method to retrieve a dynamic property of the target.

9. The framework of claim 1, the target object comprises a method to dynamically locate an action object for the target.

10. The framework of claim 1, the target object comprises a method to dynamically locate a manageable test for the target.

11. The framework of claim 1, the target object comprises a method to that determines whether a target matches a specified set of property values.

12. The framework of claim 1, further comprising a target collection object that contains one or more target object(s), the target collection object enabling a test scenario component to operate on a collection of devices simultaneously as a group.

13. The framework of claim 12, the target collection object comprising a method to enumerate target object(s) in the collection.

14. The framework of claim 12, the target collection object comprising a method to retrieve a sub-set of the contained target object based upon a set of property values.

15. The framework of claim 1, devices, systems, applications and/or services are targets of testing.

16. The framework of claim 1, further comprising a device depot which is an object that represents a meta-collection of device(s) attached to a computer system.

17. A device test method comprising:

finding device(s) attached to a computer system;

loading an action object for each device found attached to the system;

loading manageable tests associated with the device(s) found, the manageable tests employ the action object to perform a test; and

,

running at least one of the manageable tests.

18. The method of claim 17, the manageable test comprises code of a test scenario to control a specific device and further provides an interface to control that test.

19. The method of claim 17, the action object comprises code to control a specific device and further provides an interface to control the specific device.

20. A target test framework comprising:

means for finding device(s) attached to a computer system;

means for loading an action object for each device found attached to the system;

means for loading manageable tests associated with the device(s) found, the manageable tests employ the action object to perform a test; and

,

means for running at least one of the manageable tests.