Method and system for simulating a plurality of devices

• US 8,825,462 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Biltz, Michael J., Hsu, Jonathan, Stauth, Sean, MacDonald, Graeme D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivas, Omar Fernandez
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUU, CUONG V
• Application Number:
  US12/212,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 703/21, 702/117, 700/1, 370/338
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2532 Clique of NAT servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2535 Multiple local networks, e.g. resolving potential IP address conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines

Abstract

A method and system for simulating a plurality of devices are disclosed. A simulator configured to simulate a plurality of devices may output simulated device data for the plurality of devices, where the output of the simulated device data may be performed based upon execution of commands by the simulator. The commands may be received from a device abstraction layer in response to a request from the simulator for any commands associated with the plurality of devices. Additionally, the simulated device data may be communicated to a component coupled to the simulator, where a result of the processing of the simulated device data by the component may be used to analyze the performance of the component. Further, other commands may be executed by simulator for changing the frequency at which simulated device data is output, for performing another operation defined during configuration of the simulator, etc.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of simulating a plurality of devices, said method comprising:

accessing configuration data for said plurality of devices and automatically instantiating said plurality of devices within computer memory based on said configuration data, wherein said accessing and said automatically instantiating are performed by a simulator operable to be coupled to a system under test, and wherein said accessing further comprises accessing said configuration data from a system separate from said system under test;

accessing commands communicated from a device abstraction layer, wherein said commands are associated with said plurality of devices, and wherein said device abstraction layer is included in said system under test and said device abstraction layer is tested and analyzed, wherein said analysis includes analyzing performance of said device abstraction layer based upon a result of processing of simulated device data by said device abstraction layer, said device abstraction layer couples said simulator to said system under test, and wherein said device abstraction layer comprises a device configuration management component operable to download said configuration data and store said configuration data in its database to enable communication with said simulator and a device monitoring component operable to process received simulated output data from said plurality of devices; and

automatically simulating said plurality of devices based on execution of said commands, wherein said automatically simulating comprises communicating said simulated device data from said simulator to said system under test for performance testing of at least a portion of said system under test.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of devices is selected from a group consisting of a sensor, an embedded device, a portable electronic device, and a data hub for accessing data from a plurality of devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said commands comprise requests for said simulated device data associated with said plurality of devices, and wherein said automatically simulating said plurality of devices further comprises executing said commands and generating said simulated device data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said simulated device data is packetized data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said configuration data comprises information selected from a group consisting of a format of said simulated device data, a rate at which said simulated device data is output by said simulator, a range of values for said simulated device data, an operating parameter of at least one of said plurality of devices for inclusion in said simulated device data, and current device state data for at least one of said plurality of devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a command of said commands comprises a request to change an output frequency of said simulated device data associated with said plurality of devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a command of said commands comprises a custom command associated with at least one device of said plurality of devices.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein said device abstraction layer performs an configuration process that includes automatically configuring the device abstraction layer to enable communication with said simulator.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said automatic configuration process includes determining information regarding a characteristic of said simulated device data output from said simulator, wherein said characteristic includes a simulated device data output format, and utilizing said information regarding said characteristic in said automatic configuration of said device abstraction layer.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said configuration data and said automatic configuration of said device abstraction layer is based at least in part upon input received from a graphical user interface, wherein said graphical user interface includes at least one region associated with device profile information and at least one region associated with attribute information,

wherein said region associated with device profile information allows input of device profile information that includes at least one indication from the group consisting of a device identifier indication, a profile identification number indication, a profile type indication, a profile name indication, a profile data range indication, a frequency of data indication, a format of data indication, and a battery life indication, and

wherein said region associated with attribute information allows input of attribute information that includes at least one indication from the group consisting of an attribute name indication, an attribute type indication, a description indication, and a data range indication.

8. A method of simulating a plurality of devices, said method comprising:

configuring a simulator to simulate a plurality of devices, wherein said configuring comprises accessing configuration data associated with at least one attribute of said plurality of devices, and wherein said configuration data is accessed from a system separate from a system under test;

configuring a device abstraction layer for communication with said simulator, wherein said configuring said device abstraction layer further comprises downloading said configuration data to a memory accessible to said device abstraction layer, wherein said device abstraction layer comprises a device configuration management component operable to download said configuration data and store said configuration data in said memory to enable communication with said simulator and a device monitoring component operable to process received simulated output data from said plurality of devices, and wherein said device abstraction layer is included in said system under test and said device abstraction layer is tested and analyzed, wherein said analysis includes analyzing performance of said device abstraction layer based upon a result of processing of simulated device data by said device abstraction layer, said device abstraction layer couples said simulator to said system under test;

accessing commands communicated from said device abstraction layer, wherein said commands are associated with said plurality of devices; and

simulating said plurality of devices based on execution of said commands, wherein said simulating said plurality of devices further comprises simulating said plurality of devices in accordance with said configuration data.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

generating said simulated device data responsive to said execution of said commands;

communicating said simulated device data to said device abstraction layer and another component of said system under test coupled to said simulator; and

analyzing performance of said component of said system under test based on a result of processing of said simulated device data by said component of said system under test.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said component of said system under test is a component of a business application coupled to said device abstraction layer.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of devices is selected from a group consisting of a sensor, an embedded device, a portable electronic device, and a data hub for accessing data from a plurality of devices.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said commands comprise a request for said simulated device data associated with said plurality of devices, and wherein said simulating said plurality of devices further comprises executing said commands by outputting said simulated device data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said simulated device data is packetized data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said configuration data comprises information selected from a group consisting of a format of said simulated device data, a rate at which said simulated device data is output by said simulator, a range of values for said simulated device data, an operating parameter of at least one of said plurality of devices for inclusion in said simulated device data, and current device state data for at least one of said plurality of devices.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein said commands comprise a request to change an output frequency of said simulated device data associated with said plurality of devices.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein said commands comprise a custom command associated with at least one device of said plurality of devices.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein said configuring a simulator further comprises:

automatically instantiating said plurality of devices within a memory accessible by said simulator based on said configuration data.

18. A device simulation system comprising:

a simulator for simulating a plurality of devices based on configuration data associated with said plurality of devices, wherein said configuration data is associated with at least one attribute of said plurality of devices, and wherein said configuration data is accessed from a system separate from a system under test;

a device abstraction layer coupled to said simulator, wherein said device abstraction layer comprises a device configuration management component operable to download said configuration data and store said configuration data in its database to enable communication with said simulator and a device monitoring component operable to process received simulated output data from said plurality of devices, and wherein said device abstraction layer is further operable to communicate commands associated with said plurality of devices to said simulator, and wherein said device abstraction layer is included in said system under test and said device abstraction layer is operable to be tested and analyzed, wherein said analysis includes analyzing performance of said device abstraction layer based upon a result of processing of simulated device data by said device abstraction layer, said device abstraction layer couples said simulator to said system under test; and

wherein said simulator is further operable to simulate said plurality of devices based on execution of said commands for testing said system under test.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

at least one business application coupled to said device abstraction layer; and

wherein said device abstraction layer is further operable to implement communication between said at least one business application and said simulator.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said simulator is further operable to generate said simulated device data responsive to said execution of said commands, and wherein said device abstraction layer is further operable to communicate said simulated device data to a component of said system under test.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said component of said system under test is a component of at least one business application coupled to said device abstraction layer.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of devices is selected from a group consisting of a sensor, an embedded device, a portable electronic device, and a data hub for accessing data from a plurality of devices.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said commands comprise a request for said simulated device data associated with said plurality of devices, and wherein said simulator is further operable to execute said commands by outputting said simulated device data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said simulated device data is packetized data.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein said configuration data comprises information selected from a group consisting of a format of said simulated device data, a rate at which said simulated device data is output by said simulator, a range of values for said simulated device data, an operating parameter of at least one of said plurality of devices for inclusion in said simulated device data, and current device state data for at least one of said plurality of devices.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein said commands comprise a request to change an output frequency of said simulated device data associated with said plurality of devices.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein said commands comprise a custom command associated with at least one device of said plurality of devices.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein said simulator is operable to automatically instantiate said plurality of devices in memory based on said configuration data.