Method and system for remotely testing a wireless device

• US 8,712,329 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Varanda, Marcelo
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US12/830,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20100273425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455418-419, 455/566, 709/203, 709/217, 709/250, 709223-224
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for testing a wireless device, the system comprising: a remote user interface for interacting with the data device from a remote location; and a wireless network for communication with the wireless data device from a remote location, wherein a tester can send information to and receive information from the wireless device over said wireless network and can monitor said wireless device and send inputs to the wireless device over the remote user interface thereby forming a closed loop communications path.

Claims

1. A system for remotely interfacing with a wireless data device, the system comprising:

the wireless data device having a display providing visual output and an input driver, the wireless device including;

coded logic configured to be executed on the wireless data device, the coded logic including;

instructions for capturing visual output of the wireless data device, the wireless data device being configured to provide the captured visual output; and

instructions for simulating at least one input driver at the wireless data device, the simulated input driver being configured to act based on at least one received input request to cause the wireless data device to register an input in accordance with the input request;

a server machine;

an interface for communication between the wireless data device and the server machine; and

a client machine configured to communicate with the server machine, the client machine including;

coded logic configured to obtain the captured visual output provided by the wireless data device, the client machine being configured to display a graphical representation simulating a display of the wireless data device in accordance with the captured visual output; and

coded logic configured to send the at least one input request to the wireless data device through the server machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client machine is located remotely from the server machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises one of a USB connection, an infrared connection, a wireless connection and a Bluetooth interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server machine converts data from the client machine based on the interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the received input comprises a keystroke on the client machine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the received input comprises a stylus event on the client machine.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the stylus event comprises one of a mouse click, a mouse release, and a cursor drag over the graphical representation simulating the display of the wireless data device on the client machine.

8. A server machine configured for remote testing a wireless data device, the server machine comprising:

a processor;

a communications subsystem providing an interface with the wireless data device and further providing for communications with a client machine;

coded logic configured to receive captured visual output from the wireless data device and to forward the captured visual output to the client machine; and

coded logic configured to receive an input request from the client machine and to forward the input request to the wireless data device;

wherein the server machine further includes coded logic configured to convert the captured visual output to a different format prior to forwarding the captured visual output.

9. The server machine of claim 8, wherein the server machine further includes coded logic to convert the input request to a different format prior to forwarding the input request to the wireless data device.

10. The server machine of claim 8, wherein the communications subsystem includes an interface for communicating with the wireless data device.

11. The server machine of claim 10, wherein the interface comprises one of a USB connection, an infrared connection, a wireless connection and a Bluetooth interface.

12. The server machine of claim 8, wherein the communications subsystem includes a network connection to communicate with the client machine.

13. A method of remotely testing a wireless device from a remote location, the method comprising:

establishing a communications interface between the wireless device and a server machine;

providing communication between the server machine and a client machine; and

interacting with the wireless device from the client machine, the interacting including;

graphically simulating a display of the wireless device on the client machine; and

simulating input at the wireless device in accordance with input requests obtained from the client machine,

wherein the interacting occurs through the server machine and wherein the interacting includes translating messages sent between the wireless device and the client machine into a different format at the server machine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interacting includes:

transmitting from the wireless device a screen capture to the client machine; and

sending user inputs to the wireless device from the client machine.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending information to the wireless device and receiving information from the wireless device over a wireless network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information includes a message selected from the group consisting of an email message, a text message, a short message service message, and a calendar event.

17. A wireless data device comprising:

a processor;

a communications subsystem;

a display providing visual output;

an input driver; and

coded logic configured to be executed on the processor of the wireless data device, the coded logic including;

instructions for capturing visual output of the wireless data device, the wireless data device being configured to provide the captured visual output to a server utilizing the communications subsystem; and

instructions for simulating at least one input driver at the wireless data device, the simulated input driver being configured to act based on at least one received input request from a client through the server to cause the wireless data device to register an input in accordance with the input request;

wherein messages between the client and the wireless data device are translated into a different format at the server.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the received input comprises a keystroke.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein the received input comprises a stylus event.