Test set controlled by a remotely positioned digital computer

• US 3,910,322 A
• Filed: 08/24/1972
• Issued: 10/07/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harvey M. Masters, Samuel J. Hardesty Jr
• Original Assignee: Harvey M. Masters, Samuel J. Hardesty Jr
• Inventors: Hardesty, Samuel J. Jr., Masters, Harvey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, James D.
• Application Number:
  US05/283,452
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 340/172.5,146.1BA,152 179/15AL,2DP,15AE 235/153AC
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31915 In-circuit Testers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/242 by comparing a transmitted test signal with a locally generated replica

Abstract

A test facility which utilizes a digital computer to control and analyze the results of tests on equipment which is remotely positioned from the computer is disclosed. The equipment to be tested is interfaced with a simple portable test set which is positioned at the equipment to be tested. The computer and the portable data set are interfaced with a conventional telephone network. Digital data words specifying the test to be performed are transferred from the computer to the portable test set via the telephone network. Digital data words indicative of the responses of the equipment being tested are transferred from the portable test set to the computer. These data words are analyzed by the computer to determine the operability of the equipment. Signals indicative of the condition of the equipment are sent from the computer system to the remote facility. All the data transmitted via the telephone network is checked for accuracy by retransmitting the data to the point of origin and comparing it, bit by bit, to the data as transmitted. Any data found to contain errors is retransmitted.

Claims

1. A test system, comprising in combination:

a. a computer facility comprising means for generating a series of digital data words, said words specifying predetermined input signals to be used to test remotely positioned equipment and means for analyzing sample signals indicative of the response of said equipment to said predetermined input signals;

b. a test set comprising (1) means for receiving said digital data words and for generating in response thereto said predetermined input signals, (2) means for coupling said predetermined input signals to said remotely positioned equipment, (3) means for sampling signals produced by said equipment in response to said predetermined input signals to generate said sample signals; and

c. communication apparatus comprising first and second stations coupling said computer and said test set via a full duplex channel, said first station being positioned at said conputer and said second station being positioned at said test set, each of said stations including error correction means comprising;

1. a field code generator for generating and assigning a sequential field code to each of said digital data words at the point where said digital data words originate to form a data signal;

2. start code detector and temporary storage circuitry to detect when a data signal originating at the other station is being received and for storing a predetermined number of said data words and their associated field code;

3. data retransmitting means for transmitting the received digital data signal to the originating station;

4. compare means for comparing the retransmitted digital data signal to the original digital data signal on a bit by bit basis with any difference between these signals indicating a transmission error;

5. means for retransmitting any digital data signal found to contain errors without interrupting the data stream from the transmitting to the receiving station; and

6. means for checking the sequence of the field codes associAted with each of said data words as they are received by the receiving station to determine if the associated data word is being retransmitted because of transmission errors and for outputting data words from said temporary storage when the stored data word has been verified as correct by checking the sequence of field codes arriving at said stations.

2. A test system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said communication apparatus includes first and second modems interconnected by a telephone network.

3. data retransmitting means for transmitting the received digital data signal to the originating station;

4. A test system, comprising in combination:

a. a computer facility for generating a series of digital data words, said digital data words specifying predetermined input signals to be used to test remotely positioned equipment and for analyzing sample signals indicative of the response of said equipment to said predetermined input signals to generate diagnostic signals indicative of functional status of said remotely positioned equipment;

b. a test set comprising (1) means for receiving said digital data words and for generating in response thereto said predetermined input signals, (2) means for coupling said predetermined input signals to said remotely positioned equipment, (3) means for sampling signals produced by said remotely positioned equipment in response to said predetermined input signals to generate said sample signals, (4) means for transmitting said sample signals to said computer facility, (5) means for retransmitting said digital data words and said diagnostic signals to communication apparatus located at said computer facility via a full duplex channel, (6) access means for providing external access to said diagnostic signals, and c. communication apparatus located at said computer faciLity for coupling said computer facility to said test set via said full duplex channel, said apparatus including error detection means with transmission errors being detected by comparing the retransmitted digital data words and the retransmitted diagnostic signals on a bit by bit basis to the corresponding digital data words and the corresponding diagnostic signals as originally transmitted with errors being corrected by retransmitting any digital data words or diagnostic signal containing errors without interrupting the continuity of the transmission with the retransmission of any words to correct errors being detected at the receiver located at said test set by examining the sequence of field codes attached to the data words as they arrive at the said receiver, said field codes having been assigned to said digital data words and said diagnostic signals when they were originally transmitted.

5. means for retransmitting any digital data signal found to contain errors without interrupting the data stream from the transmitting to the receiving station;

and

6. means for checking the sequence of the field codes associAted with each of said data words as they are received by the receiving station to determine if the associated data word is being retransmitted because of transmission errors and for outputting data words from said temporary storage when the stored data word has been verified as correct by checking the sequence of field codes arriving at said stations.