Methods, systems, and media for generating a regression suite database

• US 7,320,090 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hekmatpour, Amir, Coulter, James J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P
• Application Number:
  US10/864,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,315 Days
• Field of Search: 714/30, 716/5, 716/6
• US Class Current: 714/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/263 Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences ; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

Methods, systems and media for generating an improved regression suite by applying harvesting models and/or regression algorithms to tests utilized in verification of a system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a regression manager responsive to user input may be coupled to a harvester module, an analysis module, and a management module. In one embodiment, the harvester module is responsive to harvesting models defined in a modeling language, where the harvester module is coupled to a regression suite database. In another embodiment, a regression methodology may be defined from a collection of regression strategies and each regression strategy may be defined from a combination of harvesting models and/or regression algorithms. A regression generator to receive tests, to apply one or more regression strategies to the tests, to provide reports, and to allow user control may also be provided.

Claims

1. A method of performing regression, the method comprising:

receiving a test signature, the test signature including an indication of design attributes verified by the test;

initializing an array;

after parsing the test signature, mapping an indication of the test name to null cells in the array associated with the attributes satisfied by the test;

determining whether a new attribute was hit by the test;

adding test to keepers'"'"' list if a new attribute was hit by the test;

receiving a plurality of test signatures;

determining a signature hit weight for each of the plurality of test signatures;

sorting the test signatures based on the determined signature hit weights; and

selectively eliminating one or more tests based at least partially on the determined signature hit weights.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the test name is vectorized.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the plurality of test signatures, sorting the plurality of test signatures based on coverage density.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the plurality of test signatures, determining if a new test replaces one or more previous tests; and

selectively eliminating the one or more previous test from the keepers'"'"' list.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining if the new test replaces one or more previous tests comprises determining that the new test replaces a particular previous test in response to determining that all test signatures of the particular previous test are included in the new test.