Universal method and apparatus for controlling a functional test system
First Claim
1. A method for testing a manufactured unit, comprising:
- providing an application to control the testing of manufactured units, the application configured to interoperate with a first server having a first functionality by using a first interface, the first interface having at least one first unique identifier;
providing a second server derived from the first server and having a second functionality associated with the testing of manufactured units and a second interface, the second interface having at least one second unique identifier;
placing a manufactured unit to be tested in a test fixture;
allowing the application to interoperate with the second server and obtain a result based on the second functionality by making the at least one second unique identifier identical to the at least one first unique identifier and replacing the first server with the second server at runtime; and
testing the manufactured unit based on an interoperation between the application and the second server.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved host controller application for controlling the testing of manufactured units such as circuit boards. The improved host controller uses a unique system and method for accessing and utilizing new or different functionality so that the application may easily be adapted to changing manufacturing environments, such as using different tests to test manufactured units or circuit boards. More specifically, a system and method is provided that allows a host controller to interoperate with and obtain a result from a derived server having a first functionality based on an existing relationship between the client and a base server having a second functionality. The existing relationship is based on one or more unique identifiers that may be associated with an interface of the base server and which may be used to interoperate with encapsulated data and methods. The system and method includes making one or more unique identifiers associated with the derived server identical to one or more unique identifiers associated with the base server.
27 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for testing a manufactured unit, comprising:
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providing an application to control the testing of manufactured units, the application configured to interoperate with a first server having a first functionality by using a first interface, the first interface having at least one first unique identifier;
providing a second server derived from the first server and having a second functionality associated with the testing of manufactured units and a second interface, the second interface having at least one second unique identifier;
placing a manufactured unit to be tested in a test fixture;
allowing the application to interoperate with the second server and obtain a result based on the second functionality by making the at least one second unique identifier identical to the at least one first unique identifier and replacing the first server with the second server at runtime; and
testing the manufactured unit based on an interoperation between the application and the second server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, the sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to allow an application for testing manufactured units and configured to interoperate with a first server to interoperate with a second server, the first server having a first functionality and a first interface having at least one first unique identifier, the second server having a second functionality and a second interface having at least one second unique identifier, wherein the instructions causing the machine to allow include instructions causing the machine to make the at least one second unique identifier identical to the at least one first unique identifier and replace the first server with the second server at runtime.
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16. A system for testing manufactured units, comprising:
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a logical memory storing an application for controlling the testing of manufactured units and configured to interoperate with a first server having a first functionality by using a first interface, the first interface having at least one first unique identifier;
the logical memory further storing a second server derived from the first server and having a second functionality and a second interface, the second interface having at least one second unique identifier; and
a computer system functionally connected with the logical memory and including a processor, the processor to obtain a result associated with the testing of manufactured units based on the second functionality, after the at least one second unique identifier is made identical to the at least one first unique identifier and the first server is replaced by the second server at runtime. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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providing a client for controlling the testing of circuit boards;
providing a base COM server having an interface to interoperate with the client, the base COM server having a first name and the interface having a second name, wherein the base COM server is located in a first directory, and wherein the base COM server has been registered in the first directory by storing at least one first UUID in a registry;
placing a circuit board to be tested in a test interface unit;
providing a derived COM server with a third name, wherein the derived COM server has an interface having a fourth name, and wherein the derived COM server comprises properties and methods associated with the base COM server;
modifying an IDL file to make a UUID of the interface and a UUID of a class of the derived COM server identical to a UUID of the interface and a UUID of a class of the base COM server;
making identifications of properties and methods of the derived COM server identical to corresponding identifications of properties and methods of the base COM server;
making the third name of the derived COM server identical to the first name of the base COM server; and
obtaining a result at the client associated with testing the circuit board based on one or more methods of the modified derived COM server. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification