Method and system for managing manufacturing test stations

• US 6,975,955 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Lukindo, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US09/915,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 702/119, 702/123, 702182-185, 702/120, 702/84, 702/108, 700/17, 700/83, 700/110, 700/115, 382/149, 382/218, 382/282
• US Class Current: 702/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method of managing test files among a plurality of test stations for testing products. The method includes obtaining a test file having a test file name and assigning a unique identifier to the test file. Enforcement criteria are also assigned to the test file. The test file, test file name, the unique identifier and the enforcement criteria are stored. The test file is then conditionally distributed to at least one of the plurality of test stations according to the enforcement criteria. An alternate embodiment is a system for implementing the method.

Claims

1. A method of managing manufacturing test files among a plurality of test stations for testing products, wherein at least one of the test stations, products, support files supporting the test file, or test station configurations is different from another respective one of the test stations, products, support files supporting the test file, or test station configurations, the method comprising:

obtaining a test file having a test file name;

assigning a unique identifier to the test file;

associating file transfer enforcement criteria with the test file;

storing the test file, test file name, the unique identifier and the file transfer enforcement criteria; and

permitting/blocking distribution of the test file to the test stations according to the file transfer enforcement criteria to ensure compatibility.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes a test station identifier criterion.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising comparing a test station identifier associated with the test station to the test station identifier criterion, said distributing being permitted when the test station identifier matches the test station identifier criterion.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes a product identifier criterion.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising comparing a product identifier associated with the test station to the product identifier criterion, said distributing being permitted when the product identifier matches the product identifier criterion.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes a support file criterion.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising locating support test files associated with the test file in response to the support file criterion and distributing the support test files to the test station.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes a test station configuration file defining a configuration of the test station.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said permitting/blocking distribution includes:

accessing the test station configuration file;

determining from the test file configuration file if the test station is configured to test a product; and

providing the test file to the test station if the test station is configured to test the product.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the test station configuration file includes hardware components associated with the test station, the hardware components associated with the test station including test equipment.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said permitting/blocking distribution of the test file occurs periodically at a predetermined interval.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said permitting/blocking distribution of the test file occurs upon an operator accessing the test station.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said permitting/blocking distribution of the test file occurs upon said storing.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing an audit of the test station, said performing an audit including:

obtaining a reported file identifier from the test station;

comparing the reported file identifier to the unique identifier;

classifying the test file as illegal if the reported file identifier and the unique identifier do not match; and

deleting illegal files from the test station.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the product is an optical communications network component.

16. A system for managing manufacturing test files among a plurality of test stations for testing products, wherein at least one of the test stations, products, support files supporting the test file, or test station configurations is different from another respective one of the test stations, products, support files supporting the test file, or test station configurations, the system comprising:

a plurality of test stations;

a network coupled to said test stations;

an administrative system coupled to said network;

a database coupled to said network; and

a file server coupled to said network, said file server storing a test file, the test file having a unique identifier and file transfer enforcement criteria associated therewith;

said test stations conditionally receiving the test file according to the file transfer enforcement criteria to ensure compatibility.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes an test station identifier criterion.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said test station conditionally receives the test file from said file server when a test station identifier associated with said test station matches the test station identifier criterion.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes an product identifier criterion.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said test station conditionally receives the test file from said file server when a product identifier associated with said test station matches the product identifier criterion.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes a support file criterion.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said test station conditionally receives support test files from said file server in response to the support file criterion.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein the file transfer enforcement criteria includes a test station configuration file defining a configuration of said test station.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said administrative system:

accesses the test station configuration file;

determines from the test file configuration file if said test station is configured to test a product; and

provides the test file to said test station if the test station is configured to test the product.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the test station configuration file includes hardware components associated with said test station, said hardware components associated with said test station including test equipment.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein said test station periodically, conditionally receives test files at a predetermined interval.

27. The system of claim 16 wherein said test station conditionally receives test files upon an operator accessing said test station.

28. The system of claim 16 wherein said test station conditionally receives test files upon storing of the test file in said database.

29. The system of claim 16 wherein said administrative system performs an audit of said test station, the audit including:

obtaining a reported file identifier from said test station;

comparing the reported file identifier to the unique identifier;

classifying the test file as illegal if the reported file identifier and the unique identifier do not match; and

initiating deletion of illegal files from said test station.

30. The system of claim 16 wherein the product is an optical communications network component.