Methods and apparatus for eliminating lower value tests for a unit under test, and for developing a plurality of different and synchronized test execution orders for testing a plurality of units under test

• US 7,536,600 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wubbena, William H., Fay, Thomas R., Benvenga, Carl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal; Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US11/442,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 714/27, 714/31, 714/32, 714 36- 38, 714/43, 714/46
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/26 Functional testing

Abstract

In one embodiment, test execution times are determined for a plurality of tests that are to be executed for a single unit under test (UUT). Test dependencies are also determined for the tests, as are the instruments needed to execute the tests. Then, in response to the test execution times, the test dependencies, and the instruments needed to execute the plurality of tests, a plurality of different and synchronized test execution orders for the plurality of tests are developed. Each of the test execution orders specifies a sequence of tests that is to be executed for one of a plurality of UUTs that are to be tested in parallel; and, typically, the plurality of different test execution orders will be constrained to develop different test execution orders that optimize a total time to test the plurality of UUTs, a usage cost of instruments used to test the plurality of UUTs, or both. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

computer-readable media; and

computer-readable code stored on the computer-readable media, comprising;

code to determine test execution times for a plurality of tests that are to be executed for a single unit under test (UUT);

code to determine test dependencies for the plurality of tests;

code to determine which of one or more instruments are needed to execute the plurality of tests; and

code to, in response to the test execution times, the test dependencies, and the instruments needed to execute the plurality of tests, develop a plurality of different and synchronized test execution orders for the plurality of tests, wherein each of the test execution orders specifies a sequence of tests for one of a plurality of parallel-tested UUTs.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders is at least one of:

constrained to develop different test execution orders that optimize a total time to test the plurality of UUTs;

configured to develop different sets of test execution orders, with different ones of the sets i) requiring different numbers of instruments to execute the tests of the set, and ii) providing different total times to test the plurality of UUTs;

the apparatus further comprising code to display a user interface that allows a user to select one of the sets for execution; and

constrained to develop different test execution orders that optimize a balance between i) a total time to test the plurality of UUTs, and ii) a usage cost of instruments used to test the plurality of UUTs.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

code to determine how many of each of the one or more instruments are available to execute the plurality of tests;

wherein the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders further develops the plurality of different test execution orders in response to a number of each instrument that is available to execute the plurality of tests; and

code to determine test setup times for the plurality of tests;

wherein the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders further develops the plurality of different test execution orders in response to the test setup times.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders is constrained to develop different test execution orders that mitigate duplicative performance of test setups for at least one instrument that is used to test the plurality of UUTs.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

code to, during execution of a sequence of tests on one of the instruments used to test the plurality of UUTs, track a current test setup state of the instrument and, upon processing an instruction to execute a next test setup for the instrument,

     1) determine if the next test setup is already reflected in the current test setup state of the instrument, and

     2) if the next test setup is reflected in the current test setup state, dynamically suppress the next test setup so as to mitigate duplicative performance of test setups for the instrument.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders is configured to display a user interface; and

the user interface displays the test execution order for each of the plurality of UUTs in a synchronized format, with each test execution order being displayed as a sequence of linked elements, with at least some of the elements representing one or more tests, and with each of the elements graphically indicating a time to complete one or more actions that are represented by the element.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the linked elements comprise linked bars.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least some of the linked elements are selectable and movable by a user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

code to, in response to user selection and movement of one or more of the linked elements, update the plurality of test execution orders and modify the displayed sequences of linked elements, as necessary, to comply with;

the test execution times, the test dependencies, the instruments needed to execute the plurality of tests, a number of instruments available to execute the plurality of tests, and the user'"'"'s desired placement of the selected and moved one(s) of the linked elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders is configured to display a user interface;

the user interface enables a user to specify a number of each kind of test instrument that are to be used to test the plurality of UUTs; and

the number of each kind of test instrument specified by the user is used as a constraint by the code to develop the plurality of different test execution orders.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

code to, prior to developing the plurality of test execution orders, and in response to a model of which UUT faults are tested by which of the plurality of tests, and by how much, assign scores to the plurality of tests, the scores being assigned at least partly based on unique fault coverages of the tests; and

code to, prior to developing the plurality of test execution orders, and in response to a desired fault coverage, identify at least one test with a lower score for elimination from the plurality of tests, wherein elimination of the at least one test with a lower score enables the desired fault coverage to be maintained.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one of:

code to select, from the at least one test with a lower score, one or more tests with longer execution times for elimination; and

code to display the at least one test with a lower score to a user, for confirmation that the at least one test should be eliminated.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising at least one of:

code to access results of a simulated execution of the plurality of tests for the single UUT, to develop the model of which UUT faults are tested by which tests; and

code to access historical test results based on execution of the plurality of tests for the single UUT, to develop the model of which UUT faults are tested by which tests.

14. A method, comprising:

determining test execution times for a plurality of tests that are to be executed for a single unit under test (UUT);

determining test dependencies for the plurality of tests;

determining what instruments are needed to execute the plurality of tests; and

developing, in response to the test execution times, the test dependencies, and the instruments needed to execute the plurality of tests, a plurality of different and synchronized test execution orders for the plurality of tests, wherein each of the test execution orders specifies a sequence of tests that is to be executed for one of a plurality of UUTs that are to be tested in parallel.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising at least one of:

determining how many of each instrument are available to execute the plurality of tests;

wherein the plurality of different test execution orders are further developed in response to a number of each instrument that is available to execute the plurality of tests; and

determining test setup times for the plurality of tests;

wherein

     1) the plurality of different test execution orders are further developed in response to the test setup times, and

     2) development of the plurality of different test execution orders is constrained to mitigate duplicative performance of test setups for at least one instrument that is used to test the plurality of UUTs; and

during execution of a sequence of tests on one of the instruments used to test the plurality of UUTs, tracking a current test setup state of the instrument and, upon processing an instruction to execute a next test setup for the instrument,

     1) determining if the next test setup is already reflected in the current test setup state of the instrument, and

     2) if the next test setup is reflected in the current test setup state, dynamically suppressing the next test setup so as to mitigate duplicative performance of test setups for the instrument.