Testing mobile wireless devices during device production

• US 20070266289A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yang, Lianghua
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/742
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system and method of testing a wireless communication device during device production comprises designating as a data log buffer when the device is being produced, at least part of random access memory (RAM) of the device that is allocated for virtual machine and/or application usage when the device is operational; and testing the device and storing test log data in the buffer. After testing, the data can be obtained from the buffer and processed using a debugging and log analysis tool.

Claims

1. A method of testing a wireless communication device during device production, comprising:

(a) designating as a data log buffer when the device is being produced at least part of random access memory (RAM) of the device that is allocated for virtual machine or application usage when the device is operational in end-user mode; and

(b) testing the device and storing test log data in the buffer.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising after (b), transmitting the test log data from the buffer to a test station.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 further comprising processing the transmitted data using a debugging and log analysis tool

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least part of the RAM allocated for both virtual machine and application usage is designated as the data log buffer.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the data log buffer is large enough to store results from an entire device testing and calibration procedure.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the RAM is static random access memory (SRAM).

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein testing the device includes at least one test selected from the group consisting of AC, DC, calibration, GPS, functional, RF, and audio.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein testing the device comprises including at least one output statement instruction in device firmware code, and executing a function call associated with the output statement instruction.

9. A system for testing a wireless communication device during device production, comprising:

(a) a testing station communicative with the device and for testing the device during production; and

(b) a computer readable memory communicative with the device and having recorded thereon statements and instructions to designate as a data log buffer when the device is being produced at least part of RAM of the device that is allocated for virtual machine or application usage when the device is operational in end-user mode, and to store test log data in the buffer obtained from testing of the device.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a debugging and log analysis tool stored on the test station and for processing the data obtained from the buffer.

11. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least part of the RAM allocated for both virtual machine and application usage is designated as the data log buffer.

12. A system as claimed in any of claim 11 wherein the data log buffer is large enough to store results from an entire device testing and calibration procedure.

13. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the RAM is static random access memory (SRAM).

14. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein testing the device includes at least one test selected from the group consisting of AC, DC, calibration, GPS, functional, RF, and audio.

15. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the statement and instructions comprises at least one output statement instruction in device firmware code that executes a function call associated with the output statement instruction.

16. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the memory is non-volatile memory in the device.

17. A computer program product for testing a wireless communication device during device production, the product comprising:

a memory having computer readable code embodied therein, the code including statements and instructions to

(a) designate as a data log buffer when the device is being produced at least part of RAM of the device that is allocated for virtual machine or application usage when the device is operational in end-user mode; and

(b) store test log data in the buffer obtained from testing of the device.

18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17 wherein the code further includes statements and instructions to transmit the data from the buffer to a test station after testing has been completed.

19. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17 wherein at least part of the RAM allocated for both virtual machine and application usage is designated as the data log buffer.

20. A computer program product as claimed in claim 19 wherein the data log buffer is large enough to store results from an entire device testing and calibration procedure.

21. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17 wherein the RAM is static random access memory (SRAM).

22. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17 wherein testing the device includes at least one test selected from the group consisting of AC, DC, calibration, GPS, functional, RF, and audio.

23. A computer program product as claimed in claim 17 wherein the code further includes at least one output statement instruction in device firmware code that executes a function call associated with the output statement instruction.

24. A method of assembling a wireless communication device comprising

(a) providing components of the device to a production line, the components including a random access memory (RAM);

(b) assembling the components into a completed device on the production line;

(c) before and/or during and/or after assembly of the components, designating as a data log buffer at least part the RAM of the device that is allocated for virtual machine or application usage when the device is operational in end-user mode; and

(d) before and/or during and/or after assembly of the components, testing the device and storing test log data in the buffer.

25. A method of assembling a wireless communication device as claimed in claim 24 further comprising after (d) and before and/or during and/or after assembly of the components, transmitting the data from the buffer to a test station.

26. A method of assembling a wireless device as claimed in claim 25 further comprising processing the transmitted data using a debugging and log analysis tool