Method of testing a network setup

• US 5,107,450 A
• Filed: 07/01/1988
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wolfhard Lawrenz
• Original Assignee: Wolfhard Lawrenz
• Inventors: Lawrenz, Wolfhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MELNICK, STEVEN A
• Application Number:
  US07/213,951
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 364/578, 364/579, 364/551.01, 364/554, 364/159, 364/514, 364/550, 364/569, 370/13, 370/14, 370/58.3, 340/825.5
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A method for testing a network setup with a plurality of computers, in particular controllers or microprocessors, the data of which is to be transmitted and, if appropriate, received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for the competing transfer of the data on the data path. A method of testing the network setup is proposed in which data signals of the controllers or microprocessors are generated with a realistic frequency and are subjected to the priority criteria and in which it is determined after what time data of certain priority levels can be transferred over the data path.

Claims

1. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for completing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

generating data signals with a realistic frequency and subjected to the priority criteria;

supplementing said data signals with timing marks;

carrying out an evaluation using the timing marks to determine delay data of certain priority levels that can be transferred over the data path;

setting up the data path with interfaces in a desired configuration;

transferring the generated data signals over the data path; and

conditioning said data signals so as to derive a synchronization clock synchronous with a transmitting data generator.

2. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for competing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

setting up the data path with its interfaces for the data generators in a desired configuration in real hardware;

generating data signals of simulated data generators with a realistic frequency;

supplementing each data signal with a timing mark for the time of transfer request;

subjecting said generated data signals to said priority criteria, and transferring said data signals over said setup data path;

supplementing said data signals with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer;

evaluating the delay occurring for the transfer of data signals with a defined priority rank over the data path by comparing said timing marks; and

generating noise signals and processing said noise signals as signals with highest priority.

3. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for competing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

setting up the data path with its interfaces for the data generators in a desired configuration in real hardware;

generating data signals of simulated data generators with a realistic frequency;

supplementing each data signal with a timing mark for the time of transfer request;

subjecting said generated data signals to said priority criteria, and transferring said data signals over said setup data path;

supplementing said data signals with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer;

evaluating the delay occurring for the transfer of data signals with a defined priority rank over the data path by comparing said timing marks; and

conditioning said data signals so as to derive a synchronization clock synchronization with a transmitting data generator.

4. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for competing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

setting up the data path with its interfaces for the data generators in a desired configuration in real hardware;

generating data signals of simulated data generators with a realistic frequency;

supplementing each data signal with a timing mark for the time of transfer request;

subjecting said generated data signals to said priority criteria, and transferring said data signals over said setup data path;

supplementing said data signals with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer;

evaluating the delay occurring for the transfer of data signals with a defined priority rank over the data path by comparing with timing marks; and

providing the data with an additional bit for synchronization.

5. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for completing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

generating data signals with a realistic frequency and subjected to the priority criteria;

supplementing said data signals with timing marks;

carrying out an evaluation using the timing marks to determine delay data of certain priority levels that can be transferred over the data path;

setting up the data path with interfaces in a desired configuration;

transferring the generated data signals over the data path; and

providing the transferred data signals with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer by a receiving data generator.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

correcting an unequal running of various clocks of the data generators by comparison of the timing marks for the time of completion of the transfer of the same data signal from a transmitting data generator and at least one receiving data generator.

7. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for completing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

generating data signals with a realistic frequency and subjected to the priority criteria;

supplementing said data signals with timing marks;

carrying out an evaluation using the timing marks to determine delay data of certain priority levels that can be transferred over the data path;

setting up the data path with interfaces in a desired configuration;

transferring the generated data signals over the data path; and

utilizing memories interfaced in front of an evaluation unit for carrying out said evaluation step, whereby the evaluation of the data signals occurs at a much slower rate compared with real time.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

utilizing first-in-first-out memories as said memories.

9. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for competing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

setting up the data path with its interfaces for the data generators in a desired configuration in real hardware;

generating data signals of simulated data generators with a realistic frequency;

supplementing each data signal with a timing mark for the time of transfer request;

subjecting said generated data signals to said priority criteria, and transferring said data signals over said setup data path;

supplementing said data signals with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer;

evaluating the delay occurring for the transfer of data signals with a defined priority rank over the data path by comparing said timing marks; and

evaluating data flows by utilizing memories interfaced in front of an evaluation unit, whereby the evaluation of the data signals occurs at a much slower rate compared with real time.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of using first-in-first-out memories as said memories.

11. A method for testing a network setup having a plurality of data generators, data of which is to be transmitted and received over a data path and which is to be processed by a control, priority criteria being established for completing transfer of the data on the data path, comprising the steps of:

setting up said network comprising said data generators, said data path and interfaces between said data path and said data generators in real hardware;

generating said data signals by said data generators, said data signals being addressed to one or more data generators and provided with defined priority criteria;

allowing the transfer of said data signals over the data path;

supplementing each of said data signals with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer by said receiving data generator; and

calculating the probable time of the transfer request to the time of the reception of each transferred data signal by said receiving data generator in view of the preceding data flow on the data path and the priorities of data signals being transferred in a time interval before the reception of each data signal; and

calculating the delay for data signals with predetermined priority ranks for their transfer over the data path by comparing the calculated probable time of transfer request and the time of completing the transfer.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

providing each transferred data signal with a timing mark for the time of completion of the transfer by a receiving data generator.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

evaluating data flows by utilizing memories interfaced in front of an evaluation unit, whereby the evaluation of the data signals occurs at a much slower rate compared with real time.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

conditioning said data signals so as to derive a synchronization clock synchronous with a transmitting data generator.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of:

performing the evaluation with an assumed time for the transmission request under worst conditions.