Methods and apparatus for testing software with real-time source data from a projectile

• US 20080288927A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Siddens, Steven T., Lance, David A., McGuire, Patric M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,990 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/135
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/32 Devices for testing or checking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for testing software with real-time source data from a projectile according to various aspects of the present invention operate in conjunction with a real-time data source, a signal processor, a recordable medium, and a testing platform. The signal processor receives real-time data from a real-time data source during a test and saves it to a storage medium before providing the real-time data to the testing platform for permanent storage. During a subsequent test, the testing platform may upload the saved real-time data to the signal processor foregoing the need to generate new real-time data from the real-time data source.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for testing software by simulating a real-time environment, comprising:

receiving an input signal from a real-time data source;

saving the input signal to a recordable medium for storage; and

supplying the saved input signal to a real-time system, wherein the saved input signal is used in place of the real-time data source.

2. A computer-implemented method for testing software according to claim 1, wherein the input signal comprises radar image data of a projectile.

3. A computer-implemented method for testing software according to claim 1, wherein:

receiving the input signal occurs during a first software test; and

supplying the saved input signal to the real-time system occurs during a second software test.

4. A computer-implemented method for testing software according to claim 3, further comprising changing a time stamp associated with the first software test to reflect a second time stamp associated with the second software test.

5. A computer-implemented method for testing software according to claim 1, wherein the input signal is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal comprising an array of complex numbers.

6. A computer system for testing software in a real-time environment, wherein the computer system is configured to:

process an input signal coming from an real-time data source;

save the processed input signal to a storage medium; and

transmit the saved input signal to a real-time system, wherein the saved input signal is supplied to the real-time system in place of the input signal from the real-time data source.

7. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein the input signal is processed during a first software test and the saved input signal is transmitted during a second software test.

8. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein the computer system is further configured to change a time stamp associated with the real-time data source to a time stamp associated with the real-time system during a software test.

9. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein the input signal comprises radar image data of a projectile.

10. A computer system according to claim 6, wherein processing the input signal comprises converting the input signal from an analog signal to a digital signal comprising an array of complex numbers.

11. A computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer, wherein the instructions cause the computer to execute a method for testing software in a real-time environment comprising:

receiving an input signal from a real-time data source;

saving the input signal to a second recordable medium for storage; and

supplying the saved input signal to a real-time system, wherein the saved input signal is used in place of the real-time data source.

12. A medium storing instructions according to claim 11, wherein the step of receiving an input signal occurs during a first software test and the step of supplying the saved input signal occurs during a second test.

13. A medium storing instructions according to claim 11, wherein the step of receiving the input signal comprises converting the input signal from an analog signal into a digital signal comprising an array of complex numbers.

14. A medium storing instructions according to claim 11, wherein the step of supplying the saved input signal comprises changing a time stamp associated with the real-time data source to a time stamp associated with the real-time system during a software test.

15. A medium storing instructions according to claim 11, wherein the input signal comprises radar image data of a projectile.