System for accessing and testing evaluation modules via a global computer network

• US 6,708,327 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Business Media LLC (Informa PLC)
• Original Assignee: TOL Liquidation, Inc. (Informa PLC)
• Inventors: Aliphas, Amnon
• Primary Examiner(s): ZHEN, WEI Y
• Application Number:
  US09/417,591
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 717/125, 717/124-135, 345/700, 345/733, 345/736, 345/748, 714/25, 714/37, 714/38, 714/47, 714/46, 714/742, 702/108, 702/123, 709/200, 709/310
• US Class Current: 717/125
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

The present invention is a system for facilitating the access by an end user to a component to be tested via a global computer network comprising an interface for enabling an end user to access a central computer network in communication with a component to be tested, said component to be tested residing on a second computer, means for interfacing the central computer network with the component to be tested on the second computer, means for enabling the end user to test the component to be tested on the second computer via the interface means and the central computer network, and means for transferring a result executed by the component on the second computer through the central computer network and to the end user.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating a component by accessing a prototype of said component over a network, said system comprising:

an interface for enabling an end user to access over a network a hardware evaluation module that is configured as a prototype of the component;

means for providing the hardware evaluation module a set of instructions based on information provided by the end user;

means for controlling the hardware evaluation module when processing the set of instructions; and

means for transferring a result to the interface that indicates a capability of the hardware evaluation module based on the actions performed by the hardware evaluation module to process the set of instructions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware evaluation module processes the set of instructions using at least one additional component.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for providing the set of instructions to the hardware evaluation module provides the set of instructions based on a file transfer protocol.

4. A system for evaluating a component through remote access by an end user to a prototype of said component over a network, said system comprising:

an end user interface for enabling an end user to access over a network a hardware evaluation module that is configured as a prototype of the component;

means for formulating a test for the hardware evaluation module based on information provided by the end user;

means for compiling the test into code that is executable by the hardware evaluation module;

means for transferring the code to the hardware evaluation module; and

means for transferring over the network to the end user interface information indicating a performance of the hardware evaluation module based on the hardware evaluation module executing the code.

5. A method for evaluating performance of a component based on testing via a network a prototype of said component, said method comprising:

providing an end user interface for enabling an end user to access over a network a hardware evaluation module that is configured as a prototype of the component;

formulating a test for the hardware evaluation module based on information received from the end user interface;

compiling the test into code that is executable by the hardware evaluation module;

transferring the code to the hardware evaluation module;

measuring actions performed by the hardware evaluation module to execute the code; and

transferring over the network to the end user interface information indicating a performance of the hardware evaluation module for the test based on the measurements of the actions performed by the hardware evaluation module.

6. A method for facilitating remote access by an end user to estimate performance of a component based on evaluating via a network a prototype of said component, said method comprising:

providing an end user interface for enabling an end user to access over a network a hardware evaluation module that is configured as a prototype of said component;

formulating a test that includes code that is executable by the hardware evaluation module, based on information provided through the end user interface;

determining performance of the hardware evaluation module based on actions performed by the hardware evaluation module when executing the code; and

transferring information indicating the performance of the hardware evaluation module for the test to the end user interface.

7. A system for evaluating a component based on testing at least one prototype of said component, said system comprising:

a first processor for receiving a request to execute at least one set of instructions on a selected hardware evaluation module, wherein the selected hardware module is configured as a prototype of the component; and

at least one additional processor, coupled to the first processor, for routing the at least one set of instructions to the selected hardware evaluation module based on the request, and for obtaining a result that indicates actions performed by the hardware evaluation module when executing the at least one set of instructions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the hardware evaluation module is coupled to at least one additional component of hardware.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a client, coupled to the first processor, for providing the request over a network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first processor requests information indicating a condition of communications between the client and first processor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one additional processor routes the at least one set of instructions to either the selected hardware evaluation module or a component of software emulating the hardware evaluation module based on a condition of communications between the client and first processor.

12. A system for evaluating a component based on testing a prototype of the component, said system comprising:

a server for receiving a request to conduct a test on a selected hardware evaluation module that is configured as a prototype of the component; and

a processor, coupled to the server, for compiling the test into at least one set of instructions, for routing the at least one set of instructions to the selected hardware evaluation module based on the request, and for obtaining a result that indicates actions performed by the hardware evaluation module when executing the at least one set of instructions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor controls the hardware evaluation module based on information received by the server.

14. A method for evaluating performance of a component based on testing at least one prototype of the component, said method comprising:

receiving a request to execute a set of instructions;

selecting at least one of a plurality of prototypes based on the request, wherein the plurality of prototypes includes at least one hardware evaluation module that is configured for prototyping the component;

executing, at the selected prototype, the set of instructions;

measuring actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions; and

determining information indicating a performance of the selected prototype based on the measurements of the actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the request further comprises receiving information identifying a user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein selecting at least one of the plurality of prototypes comprises determining whether the user is authorized to access the at least one hardware evaluation module based on the information identifying the user.

17. A method for evaluating performance of a component based on testing a selected prototype of the component, comprising:

receiving a request from a client to execute a set of instructions;

determining information indicating a condition of communications with the client;

selecting either a hardware evaluation module that is configured for prototyping the component or a component of software that is configured for emulating the component as a prototype of the component based on the request and the condition of communications from the client;

measuring actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions; and

determining information indicating a performance of the selected prototype based on the measurements of the actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing the information indicating the performance of executing the set of instructions to the client.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting either the hardware evaluation module or the component of software as the prototype of the component comprises:

receiving information identifying a user at the client;

determining whether the user is authorized to access the hardware evaluation module based on the information identifying the user; and

selecting either the hardware evaluation module or the component of software as the prototype of the component based on whether the user is authorized.

20. An apparatus for evaluating performance of a component based on testing a prototype of the component, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request to execute at least one set of instructions on a selected hardware evaluation module that is configured as a prototype of the component;

means for routing the at least one set of instructions to the selected hardware evaluation module based on the request;

means for obtaining a result that indicates actions performed by the hardware evaluation module when executing the at least one set of instructions; and

means for providing the result to the first processor.

21. An apparatus for evaluating performance of a component based on testing at least one prototype of the component, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request to execute a set of instructions;

means for selecting at least one of a plurality of prototypes based on the request, wherein the plurality of prototypes includes at least one hardware evaluation module that is configured for prototyping the component;

means for providing to the selected prototype the set of instructions;

means for measuring actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions; and

means for determining information indicating a performance of the selected prototype based on the measurements of the actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions.

22. An apparatus for evaluating performance of a component based on testing a selected prototype of the component, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a request from a client to execute a set of instructions;

means for determining information indicating a condition of communications from the client;

means for selecting either a hardware evaluation module that is configured for prototyping the component or a component of software that is configured for emulating the component as a prototype for the component based on the request and the condition of communications from the client;

means for measuring actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions; and

means for determining information indicating a performance of the selected prototype based the measurements of the actions performed by the selected prototype when executing the set of instructions.