Constraint programming for reduction of system test-configuration-matrix complexity

• US 7,805,635 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Clay E., O'Sullivan, Patrick J., Chakra, Al, Yilmaz, Cemal, Ogle, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal; Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US11/697,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20080250049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 714 25- 27, 714 31- 33, 714/37, 714/38, 714/45, 714/46
• US Class Current: 714/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3696 Methods or tools to render software testable

Abstract

A system for creating a system configuration data set includes an input operable to receive a set of system properties with attributes and values and a set of expressions representing a set of system test goals. The system further includes a processor operable to define a hierarchical tree structure with a plurality of nodes where each node represents one of the system properties and includes at least one of the attributes and the values and an output operable to output a set of system test data utilizing the hierarchical tree structure combined with the expressions. A method includes creating a hierarchical tree structure with a plurality of nodes where each node represents a system property. The method further includes receiving a set of expressions representing a set of system test goals and creating a set of system test data utilizing the hierarchical tree structure combined with the expressions.

Claims

1. A system for performing event analysis, the system comprising:

an input operable to receive;

a set of system properties with attributes and values; and

a set of logical expressions representing a set of system test goals, wherein the set of logical expressions comprises at least one preference expression that defines at least one of testing knowledge, testing experience, and testing beliefs,

wherein the input is further operable to receive at least one bias value and at least one preference value;

a processor operable to define a hierarchical tree structure with a plurality of nodes where each node represents one of the system properties and includes at least one of the attributes and the values,

wherein the processor is further operable to;

associate the at least one bias value with the at least one preference expression; and

associate the at least one priority value to the at least one preference expression; and

an output operable to output a set of system test data utilizing the hierarchical tree structure combined with the set of logical expressions.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the expressions include at least one of:

if then;

iff;

if and;

or;

and negate;

true; and

false.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the input is further operable to:

receive a selection of at least one of the attribute, the value, and the expression so as to further define at least one of the set of system test goals.

4. A non-transitory computer program storage product for creating a system configuration data set, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

creating a hierarchical tree structure with a plurality of nodes where each node represents a system property and includes at least one of an attribute and a value;

receiving a set of expressions representing a set of system test goals, wherein the set of expressions includes at least one preference expression that defines at least one of testing knowledge, testing experience, and testing beliefs;

creating a set of system test data utilizing the hierarchical tree structure combined with the expressions;

receiving at least one bias value and at least preference value;

associating the at least one bias value with the at least one preference expression;

and

associating the at least one priority value to the at least one preference value.

5. The non-transitory computer program storage product according to claim 4, wherein an expression includes at least one of:

if then;

iff;

if and;

or;

and negate;

true; and

false.

6. The non-transitory computer program storage product according to claim 4, wherein the expressions are first-order logic expressions that define conditional and quantified goals of a system.

7. The non-transitory computer program storage product according to claim 4, further comprising:

selecting at least one of the attribute, the value, and the expression so as to further define at least one of the set of system test goals.

8. The non-transitory computer program storage product according to claim 4, wherein:

the set of expressions includes at least one preference expression that defines at least one of testing knowledge, testing experience, and testing beliefs.

9. The non-transitory computer program storage product according to claim 8, further comprising:

associating a bias value to the at least one preference expression; and

associating a priority value to the at least one preference expression.

10. The non-transitory computer program storage product according to claim 4, wherein:

the system property is one of abstract and concrete.