Automated test harness
First Claim
1. An apparatus for running test software, the apparatus comprising:
- a network for communicating data;
a target operably connected to the network, the target comprising;
a first network interface operably connected to the network,a first processor connected to the first network interface and provided with a first operating system,a first memory device operably connected to a store data transferred to and from the first processor; and
a controller operably connected to a network to communicate data with the target over the network, the controller comprising;
a second network interface operably connected to the network to communicate data between the controller and the network,a second processor operably connected to the second network interface for selectively, based on resource information received from the target and temporarily providing operating system command line instructions for controlling the operating system of the target, while the operating system of the target is continuously operating, to configure the target,a second memory device for storing data communicated to and from the second processor, anda storage device connected to the network for storing files of data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for temporarily slaving and configuring a plurality of hardware resources such as computers, microprocessor-based devices, and the like, over a network, and then emancipating the resources to operate independently. Resources or targets may be enslaved at an operating system level. A controller may configure a plurality of hardware resources such as computers, microprocessor-based devices, and the like, to operate autonomously over a network. Resources or targets may be enslaved at an operating system level, configured with commands from a controller, and emancipated to operate independently. Emancipated resources may download applications, read and write files, communicate with other devices, and otherwise operate as independent computers. Data corresponding to test instructions may be downloaded from, and data corresponding to results may be recorded and saved on, a network server by a resource operating independently. Upon completion of a test or a series of tests, a resource may again report back to a controller, be enslaved and reconfigured, and be emancipated to operate other test software.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for running test software, the apparatus comprising:
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a network for communicating data; a target operably connected to the network, the target comprising; a first network interface operably connected to the network, a first processor connected to the first network interface and provided with a first operating system, a first memory device operably connected to a store data transferred to and from the first processor; and a controller operably connected to a network to communicate data with the target over the network, the controller comprising; a second network interface operably connected to the network to communicate data between the controller and the network, a second processor operably connected to the second network interface for selectively, based on resource information received from the target and temporarily providing operating system command line instructions for controlling the operating system of the target, while the operating system of the target is continuously operating, to configure the target, a second memory device for storing data communicated to and from the second processor, and a storage device connected to the network for storing files of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of running software on a plurality of computers, the method comprising:
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connecting a target to a network, the target comprising; a first processor having a first operating system, and a first network interface operably connected to the processor to communicate data between the processor and the network, connecting a controller to the network to communicate over the network with the first operating system, the controller comprising; a second network interface operably connected to the network to communicate data between the controller and the network, a second processor having a second operating system and operably connected to the second network interface for selectively, based on resource information received from the target, and temporarily provide operating system command line instructions for controlling the first operating system of the target, and a memory device for storing data communicated to and from the second processor; connecting a server, containing a storage device, to the network for storing and retrieving files transferred over the network; enslaving the first operating system of the target to be controlled by the controller; transmitting operating system command line instructions from the controller to the first operating system of the target to be executed by the first operating system of the target to configure the target; emancipating the first operating system of the target to operate independently of the controller; and loading by the target, independently of the controller, a file from the server onto the target. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification