Method and system for performing installation and configuration management of tester instrument modules

• US 8,082,541 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Original Assignee: Advantest Corporation
• Inventors: Pramanick, Ankan, Hanrahan, Jim, Elston, Mark, Adachi, Toshiaki, Chen, Leon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, HANH THI MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/100,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,450 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/130
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3183 Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318307 computer-aided, e.g. automatic test program generator [ATPG], program translations, test program debugging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/318314 Tools, e.g. program interfaces, test suite, test bench, simulation hardware, test compiler, test program languages simulation software G01R31/318357; emulators G06F11/261
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/319 Tester hardware, i.e. output processing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31907 Modular tester, e.g. controlling and coordinating instruments in a bus based architecture
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31908 Tester set-up, e.g. configuring the tester to the device under test [DUT], down loading test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs

Abstract

A method for managing multiple hardware test module versions, software components, and tester operating system (TOS) versions in a modular test system is disclosed. The method includes installing the TOS versions compatible with the modular test system in an archive and installing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions in the archive. The method further includes creating system profiles for describing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions and the TOS versions, selecting a system profile for the modular test system, where the system profile includes a set of compatible vendor software components and a selected TOS for testing a particular hardware test module version, and activating the selected TOS on the modular test system.

Claims

1. A method for managing multiple hardware test module versions, software components, and tester operating system (TOS) versions in a modular test system, wherein the modular test system comprises a system controller for controlling at least one site controller, and wherein the at least one site controller controls at least one hardware test module, comprising:

installing the TOS versions compatible with the modular test system in an archive;

installing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions in the archive;

creating system profiles for describing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions and the TOS versions as tester independent information that does not contain information specific to a particular test system, each of the system profiles encapsulating inter-dependencies amongst the vendor software components;

selecting a system profile which comprises a set of compatible vendor software components and a selected TOS for testing a particular hardware test module version for the test system;

creating tester active configuration by combining the selected system profile with test-specific information; and

activating the TOS on the system controller and the at least one site controller based on the created tester active configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein installing vendor software components comprises:

installing a test control daemon (TCD) for performing general control of the TOS versions; and

installing TOS control directories.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein installing TOS control directories comprises:

installing a bin directory for storing TCD controller applications and their associated dynamic link libraries;

installing a configuration directory for storing configuration files relating to factory default settings of the tester;

installing a documentation directory for storing TCD and factory default documentations; and

installing an installation log directory for storing operations of the TCD.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the installation log directory comprises:

a path for each file copied to the archive; and

a status of files copied to or removed from the archive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein installing vendor software components further comprises:

installing a single component configuration record (single CCR); and

installing a group component configuration records (group CCR).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the single CCR comprises:

a vendor name of a software component; and

a vendor identifier of the software component.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the group CCR comprises:

a description of the group of components represent by the group CCR;

a vendor name of the group CCR; and

a vendor identifier of the group CCR.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the system profile comprises:

software components specific to the hardware test module versions;

user software development kits (user SDKs); and

vendor software development kits (vendor SDKs).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the software components specific to the hardware test module versions comprise:

device drivers;

emulation software components;

calibration software components; and

diagnostic software components.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the selected TOS comprises:

initializing the selected TOS; and

deploying a chosen software configuration from the system profile of the modular test system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein initializing the selected TOS comprises:

initializing the system controller;

initializing the site controller; and

initializing user applications in accordance with the system profile for the modular test system.

12. The method of claim 10, deploying a chosen software configuration comprises:

combining tester-independent configuration information with test-specific information to create a tester active configuration information;

deploying software components from predefined directory locations; and

starting the selected TOS with the chosen software configuration of the particular hardware test module version.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

verifying compatibility of a new vendor software component version with existing TOS versions.

14. A modular test system for managing multiple hardware test module versions, software components, and tester operating system (TOS) versions, comprising:

a system controller for controlling at least one site controller;

at least one site controller for controlling at least one hardware test module;

an archive for storing test operating system versions compatible with the modular test system and vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions;

means for creating and saving a system profile for describing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions and the TOS versions as tester-independent information that does not contain information specific to a particular test system, the system profile encapsulating inter-dependencies amongst the vendor software components; and

means for selecting the system profile which comprises a set of compatible vendor software components and selected TOS for testing a particular hardware test module version,

wherein the system controller and the at least one site controller create tester active configuration by combining the selected system profile with tester-specific information, and active the selected TOS based on tester active configuration created.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the vendor software components comprise:

test control daemons (TCDs) for performing general control of the TOS versions; and

TOS control directories.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the TOS control directories comprise:

a bin directory for storing TCD controller applications and their associated dynamic link libraries;

a configuration directory for storing configuration files relating to factory default settings of the tester;

a documentation directory for storing TCD and factory default documentations; and

an installation log directory for storing operations of the TCD.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the installation log directory comprises:

a path for each file copied to an archive; and

a status of files copied to or removed from the archive.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the vendor software components further comprise:

a single component configuration record (single CCR); and

a group component configuration records (group CCR).

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the single CCR comprises:

a vendor name of a software component; and

a vendor identifier of the software component.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the group CCR comprises:

a description of the group of components represent by the group CCR;

a vendor name of the group CCR; and

a vendor identifier of the group CCR.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the system profile comprises:

software components specific to the hardware test module versions;

user software development kits (user SDKs); and

vendor software development kits (vendor SDKs).

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the software components specific to the hardware test module versions comprise:

device drivers;

emulation software components;

calibration software components; and

diagnostic software components.