Test configuration and data management system and associated method for enterprise test operations

• US 7,113,883 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2002
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aeroflex USA Incorporated (Vitoorapakorn Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: VI Technology, Inc. (Cobham PLC)
• Inventors: House, Richard W., Gamez, Cesar R., Venkatraman, Chandrasekhar, Hinkle, Francis E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charioui, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US10/225,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 702/68, 702/80, 702/81, 702118-123, 702/183, 702/184, 702/188, 702/724, 702/726, 714/724, 714/726, 714/30, 714/733, 714/38, 716/4, 717/102, 717106-108, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/200, 709/204
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Enterprise test configuration and data management systems and associated methods are disclosed for test, measurement and automation environments that allow management, configuration and analysis of test systems and associated data across enterprise-wide test operations. These systems and methods are directed to the production process from the test and test station point of view and provides a variety of mechanisms for test configuration and data management for test stations (or automated test equipment (ATEs)) including the capability of managing data about each test station, hardware resources, software resources, test configuration, test steps, acquired measurements, test execution, and/or other information related to the tests, the test stations or the units-under-test (UUT). Standardized interfaces are also contemplated for the test station (or ATE) software to communicate with server systems and other ATEs if needed, thereby greatly simplifying the coding required for these systems and allowing each test station (or ATE) to talk through the same standardized interface.

Claims

1. An enterprise test data management system, comprising:

a plurality of test systems having communication interfaces and configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a device in order to obtain test result data associated with that device, at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

data management software components configured to operate on the test systems and to automatically communicate test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems;

a database configured to store the test result data related to test operations of the plurality of test systems; and

a server system coupled to the database and configured to communicate with the plurality of test systems to receive the enterprise test result data through operation of the data management software components on the plurality of test systems;

wherein the server system comprises a main module configured to receive data requests, to communicate with the database using the database protocol and to respond to the data requests.

2. The enterprise test data management system of claim 1, wherein the server system further comprises an interface configured to be accessible to remote users and wherein data requests comprise data requests from remote users.

3. The enterprise test data management system of claim 2, wherein the interface comprises links to information concerning the plurality of test systems, the links allowing information associated with the test systems to be viewed, configured and managed.

4. The enterprise test data management system of claim 1, wherein the server system is remotely accessible by user systems and is configured to allow access to the test data in the database.

5. The enterprise test data management system of claim 4, wherein the user systems are configured to use a graphical user interface to configure and manage the test data.

6. The enterprise test data management system of claim 1, wherein the test software is configured to conduct a plurality of tests on a device and wherein the test systems are further configured to operate test management software to manage execution of the tests.

7. The enterprise test data management system of claim 1, wherein the data management software component stores test data on the test systems if a connection to the server system is not active.

8. The enterprise test data management system of claim 1, wherein the test software operates to store the test data in a first format and the data management software operates to transmit the test data in a second format to the server system, the second format being compatible with the database protocol.

9. A method for managing enterprise test data, comprising:

operating data management software components on a plurality of enterprise test systems, each of the test systems being configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a device and to produce test result data, and wherein at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

automatically communicating the test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems utilizing the data management software components;

utilizing a server system to communicate with the plurality of test systems to receive the test result data from the test systems through operation of the data management software components on the plurality of test systems; and

storing the enterprise test result data from the test systems in a database;

wherein the server system comprises a main module configured to receive data requests, to communicate with the database using the database protocol and to respond to the data requests.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a remote user interface coupled to the server system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the interface comprises links to information concerning the plurality of test systems, the links allowing information associated with the test systems to be viewed, configured and managed.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the linked information comprises test data from the test systems.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing test data on the test systems if a connection to the server system is not active.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising utilizing the data management software to transmit test data in a desired format and to convert test data to the desired format, if necessary.

15. An enterprise test data management system having a remotely accessible interface, comprising:

a plurality of test systems configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a unit-under-test (UUT) in order to obtain enterprise test result data associated with that UUT, at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

data management software components configured to operate on the test systems and to automatically communicate test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems;

a database configured to store test configuration data and the enterprise test result data related to the plurality of test systems;

a server system coupled to the database and configured to communicate with the plurality of test systems to send test configuration data to the test systems and to receive test result data from the test systems through operation of the data management software components on the test systems, the server system further comprising a main module configured to receive data requests, to communicate with the database using the database protocol and to respond to the data requests; and

an interface operable with the server system to provide access by remote user systems to the test configuration data and the enterprise test result data stored in the database.

16. The enterprise test data management system of claim 15, wherein the remote user systems are configured to use a graphical user interface to access and modify the test configuration data.

17. The enterprise test data management system of claim 16, wherein operation of the test systems are configured to be affected by modifications made to the test configuration by the user systems.

18. A method for managing enterprise test data, comprising:

operating data management software components on a plurality of enterprise test systems, each of the test systems being configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a device and to produce enterprise test result data, and wherein at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

automatically communicating the test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems utilizing the data management software components;

utilizing a server system to communicate with the plurality of test systems to receive the enterprise test result data from the test systems through operation of the data management software components on the plurality of test systems;

storing the enterprise test result data from the test systems in a database; and

utilizing an enable module accessible through the interface and operable with the test software and the data management software component to selectively enable or disable operation of the data management software.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the enable module comprises a software switch accessible through the interface of the test systems.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising utilizing test management software to manage execution of the test on the device.

21. An enterprise test data management system, comprising:

a plurality of test systems configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a device in order to obtain test result data associated with that device, at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

data management software components configured to operate on the test systems and to automatically communicate test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems;

a database configured to store the test result data related to test operations of the plurality of test systems; and

a server system coupled to the database and configured to communicate with the plurality of test systems to receive the enterprise test result data through operation of the data management software components on the plurality of test systems;

wherein at least a portion of the plurality of test systems comprise a data management enable module configured to selectively enable or disable operation of the data management software component.

22. The enterprise test data management system of claim 21, wherein the data management enable module comprises a software switch accessible through external communication interfaces of the test systems.

23. An enterprise test data management system, comprising:

a plurality of test systems configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a device in order to obtain test result data associated with that device, at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

data management software components configured to operate on the test systems and to automatically communicate test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems;

a database configured to store the test result data related to test operations of the plurality of test systems; and

a server system coupled to the database and configured to communicate with the plurality of test systems to receive the enterprise test result data through operation of the data management software components on the plurality of test systems;

wherein the data management software component stores test data on the test system if a connection to the server system is not active; and

wherein the test system transmits data automatically when a connection to the server system subsequently becomes active.

24. A method for managing enterprise test data, comprising:

operating data management software components on a plurality of enterprise test systems, each of the test systems being configured to operate test software to conduct at least one test on a device and to produce enterprise test result data, and wherein at least two of the test systems being directed to different test operations;

automatically communicating the test result data through communication interfaces for the test systems utilizing the data management software components;

utilizing a server system to communicate with the plurality of test systems to receive the enterprise test result data from the test systems through operation of the data management software components on the plurality of test systems;

storing the enterprise test result data from the test systems in a database;

storing enterprise test result data on the test systems if a connection to the server system is not active; and

automatically transmitting the enterprise test result data when a connection to the server system subsequently becomes active.