Method and system for testing sections of large speech applications

• US 20070129947A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Agapi, Ciprian, Metz, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the invention can include a new method (500) and system (100) for testing code within a speech application. A test file (101) can be automatically generated to verify the functionality of a new section of code (172) presented within a graphical call flow builder application (156). In one arrangement, a user can specify through a wizard two points on a path identifying the code section to be tested. The wizard can generate a test file (101) and can configure a path (151) to a new subpath (152) and automatically assign predetermined values to graphical call flow prompts along the path. In this manner, the new code section is reached under the same path conditions for allowing repeatable testing. The system can include a test harness (110) configured to test a new code section from within a context of the speech application, and a test controller (120) for transitioning to the new code section. The test controller can run the test harness within the speech application to evaluate a functionality of the new code section.

Claims

1. A method for testing a code search of a speech application comprising the steps of:

detecting said new code section; and

configuring a path to said new code section, wherein said configuring prepares a context of said speech application for evaluating said new code section.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising looping around said new code section to continuously test a subpath, wherein said subpath is a sequence of conditional events directing a call flow within said speech application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of configuring further comprises identifying the path to said new code section to be tested.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of configuring comprises:

assigning values to prompts along said path; and

making a transition along said path to reach said new code section, wherein said configuration directs a call flow along said path to said new code section.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of assigning values comprises collecting DTMF and voice responses along said path to said new code section.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said method isolates said new code section for evaluating a functionality of said new code section by satisfying a path condition of said speech application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

publishing said speech application to a configured test server; and

running a test harness within said speech application, wherein said configured test server provides test examples to said test harness for evaluating the functionality of said new code section.

8. A method for generating a test files from within a speech application comprising;

identifying a new subpath to be tested within said speech application;

detecting a path to said subpath for providing a configuration;

satisfying a path condition within said configuration for providing a transition; and

inserting said subpath and said transition into said test file.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

publishing said speech application to a configured test server;

generating a loop around said subpath for locking a testing; and

running said speech application in accordance with said test file, wherein said test file evaluates a functionality of said new code section by repeating testing of said subpath.

10. A system for testing a section of a speech application comprising;

a test harness configured to test a new code section from within a context of said speech application; and

a test controller for transitioning to said new code section and running said test harness within said speech application, wherein said test harness evaluates a functionality of said new code section within said context.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the test harness detects new code added to said speech application.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the test harness associates a subpath specified by a developer with said new code section.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said speech application contains at least one path describing a call flow, said path represented as a sequence of prompts graphically connected together, with said subpath being a portion of said path.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said test harness determines appropriate grammar values along a path leading to said new code section.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the test controller assigns values to guard variables within prompts along a path for directing a call flow to said new code section of said subpath.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the test controller transitions to said new code section by satisfying a path condition for directing a call flow.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a publisher for submitting said speech application to a configured test server, wherein said test controller runs said test harness within said speech application on said configured test server;

and,

said configured test server provides test examples to said test harness for evaluating the functionality of said new code section.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said test controller further comprises a looping mechanism for providing repeated testing of said new code section.

19. The system of claim 10, further comprising a test entry on a drop-down menu list for generating a test file for automatically testing said new code section.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said drop-down menu includes a wizard feature for graphically identifying a subpath to be tested.