Remote computer testing

• US 6,904,389 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hornberger, Mary J, May, Gregory J
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Paul L
• Application Number:
  US09/800,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183, 702/185, 702/188, 714/34, 714/46, 713/340
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

A product under test is tested remotely. A network accessible site receives input for the product under test from a remote user connected to a network accessible site. The input for the product under test is forwarded to a process that presents the input to the product under test as if the input came from an input device directly connected to the product under test. Display information from the product under test is intercepted. The display information describes a current display generated by the product under test. The intercepted display information is displayed on the network accessible site.

Claims

1. A system for providing remote testing of a product under test comprising:

a network accessible site to provide from a remote user connected to a network accessible site, input for the product under test;

a processing system to receive the input for the product under test from the network accessible site and presenting the input to the product under test as if the input came from an input device directly connected to the product under test; and

,

a test controller to directly introduce to the product under test hardware commands that are not covered in software control.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the processing system is a software process running on the product under test.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the processing system is capable of simultaneously interacting with multiple additional products under test and receiving input from additional remote users.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein display information from the product under test is obtained using a web camera.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the input is in the form of a script.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein the processing system includes a database in which is stored images of hard disk configurations.

7. A system as in claim 1 additionally comprising a monitor signal processor that intercepts display information from the product under test via a monitor port on the product under test.

8. A system as in claim 1 wherein the network accessible site obtains a test device configuration from the remote user, the test device configuration being used to configure the product under test.

9. A system as in claim 1 wherein the network accessible site obtains a test device configuration from the remote user, the test device configuration being used to select the product under test.

10. A system as in claim 1 wherein the network accessible site includes a schedule that indicates times the product under test is available to be used for testing purposes.

11. A system as in claim 1 wherein the processing system is a computing system separate from the product under test.

12. A system as in claim 1 wherein the processing system additionally comprises:

a switch function that allows an entity separate from the remote user to disconnect the network accessible site from the processing system.

13. A system for providing remote testing of a plurality of products under test comprising:

a network accessible site for providing from a plurality of remote users connected to the network accessible site, input for the products under test; and

,

a processing system for receiving first input for one of the plurality of products under test from the network accessible site and presenting the first input to the one of the products under test as if the first input came from an input device directly connected to the one of the products under test, wherein the processing system is configured to present a hardware command directly to the one of the plurality of products under test;

wherein the processing system includes a database in which is stored images of hard disk configurations.

14. A system as in claim 13 wherein the network accessible site includes a schedule that indicates times each product under test is available to be used for testing purposes.

15. A system as in claim 13 wherein the processing system is a computing system separate from the products under test.

16. A system for providing remote testing of a plurality of products under test comprising:

a network accessible site for providing from a plurality of remote users connected to the network accessible site, input for the products under test; and

,

a processing system for receiving first input for one of the plurality of products under test from the network accessible site and presenting the first input to the one of the products under test as if the first input came from an input device directly connected to the one of the products under test, wherein the processing system is configured to present a hardware command directly to the one of the plurality of products under test;

wherein the network accessible site obtains a test device configuration from a remote user, the test device configuration being used to configure the one of the products under test.

17. A system as in claim 16 wherein the network accessible site includes a schedule that indicates times each product under test is available to be used for testing purposes.

18. A system as in claim 16 wherein the processing system is a computing system separate from the products under test.