Fault replay system and method

• US 9,064,043 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Cathro, Ian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MASKULINSKI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US12/339,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,377 Days
• Field of Search: 714/39, 714/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/261 by simulating additional hardware, e.g. fault simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3457 Performance evaluation by simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/366 using diagnostics G06F11/0703 takes precedence

Abstract

A fault replay system uploads part or all of a log file from a subject system and replays the events detailed within the log file upon physical copies of devices present in the subject system. The replay of the log file events aid the determination of at which event a fault occurred and improves the accuracy of fault determination.

Claims

1. A method of fault replay for a self-service terminal employing a number of end-user interface peripheral devices in performing self-service terminal transactions for end users, the method comprising the steps of:

i) generating a log file comprising request data issued from a software application located in the self-service terminal and controlling operation of the self-service terminal to a subject device or application of the self-service terminal, and at least one of response data and event data for at least one of the number of end-user interface peripheral devices returned to the software application, the at least one of the number of end-user interface peripheral devices comprising a display screen controlled to provide a sequence of screens used in each transaction performed by the self-service terminal;

ii) coupling each entry in the log file with a timestamp;

iii) exporting at least a portion of the log file to a test system comprising a test device or application similar to a corresponding subject device or application present in the self-service terminal and emulating failure of the corresponding subject device or application present in the self-service terminal, by the test system, on failure by the corresponding subject device or application present in the self-service terminal;

iv) replaying at a user determined time at least a portion of the exported log file on the test system with a delay between subsequent entries in the log file proportional to the period indicated by their respective timestamps such that activity of the test device or application follows that of the subject device or application recorded in the log file; and

v) executing a comparison between responses received from the test device or application and those in the log file received from the self-service terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application comprises an application programming interface (API).

3. The method of claim 1 comprising sensing a fault condition in a subject device or application prior to step (iii).

4. The method of claim 1 comprising delaying the replay of subsequent entries in the log file by a period equal to the period indicated by their respective timestamps.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising determining whether to export the whole or a portion of the log file to the test system automatically at the subject system based upon evaluation of a detected fault at the self-service terminal.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising determining which portion of the log file to export based upon rules relating to the nature of a fault sensed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject device comprises a self-service terminal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of end-user peripheral devices comprise a card reader device, a receipt printer, an encrypting keypad, and a dispenser device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one of response data and event data comprises data for the card reader device, the receipt printer, the display, the encrypting keypad, and the dispenser device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a test log file upon replaying the at least a portion of the exported log file.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

comparing the test log file and the exported log file and flagging any differences.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exporting at least a portion of the log file further comprises downloading the portion of the log file on to a data carrier and loading the portion of the log file from the data carrier to the test system.

13. A test system for testing a self-service terminal employing a number of end-user interface peripheral devices in performing self-service terminal transactions for end users, the test system comprising at least one test device or application that is a copy of at least one of respective subject devices or applications present on the self-service terminal;

wherein

the test system is arranged to receive at least a portion of a log file exported from the self-service terminal, the log file comprising request data issued from a software application controlling operation of the self-service terminal to one of the subject devices or applications of the self-service terminal, and at least one of response data and event data for at least one of the number of end-user interface peripheral devices returned to the software application, wherein each entry in the log file is coupled to a timestamp, the at least one of the number of end-user interface peripheral devices comprising a display screen controlled to provide a sequence of screens used in each transaction performed by the self-service terminal;

the test system is arranged to replay at a user determined time at least a portion of the exported log file on test system with a delay between subsequent entries in the log file proportional to the period indicated by their respective timestamps such that activity of the test device or application follows that of the subject device or application recorded in the log file, wherein the test system is configured to emulate failure of one of the subject devices or one of the applications of the self-service terminal on failure of that subject device or that application; and

the test system executes a comparison between responses received from the test device or application and those in the log file received from the self-service terminal.

14. The test system of claim 13 wherein a controller is arranged to delay the replay of subsequent entries in the log file by a period equal to the period indicated by their respective timestamps.

15. A fault replay system comprising:

a test system comprising at least one device or application that is a copy of at least one of a plurality of subject devices or subject applications present on a subject system comprising a self-service terminal;

wherein the test system is arranged to receive at least a portion of a log file exported from the subject system, the log file comprising request data issued from a software application controlling operation of the self-service terminal to one of the subject devices or applications of the subject system, and at least one of response data and event data returned to the software application, wherein each entry in the log file is coupled to a timestamp, and wherein the test system is configured to emulate failure of one of the subject devices or one of the subject applications on failure of that device or that application;

the test system is arranged to replay at a user determined time at least a portion of the exported log file on the test system with a delay between subsequent entries in the log file proportional to the period indicated by their respective timestamps such that activity of the test device or application follows that of the subject device or application recorded in the log file;

the self-service terminal employing end-user interface peripheral devices in performing self-service terminal transactions for end users;

wherein the subject system is arranged to generate a log file comprising request data issued from a software application to a subject device or application of a subject system, and at least one of response data and event data for at least one of the end-user interface peripheral devices is returned to the software application, at least one of the end-user interface peripheral devices comprising a display screen controlled to provide a sequence of screens used in each transaction performed by the self-service terminal, and wherein the subject system is arranged to export the at least a portion of the log file to the test system; and

the test system executing a comparison between responses received from the test device or application and those in the log file received from the self-service terminal.

16. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer executable instructions which when executed upon a processor of a test system causes the test system to receive at least a portion of a log file exported from a subject system comprising a self-service terminal employing a number of end-user interface peripheral devices in performing self-service terminal transactions for end users, the log file comprising request data issued from software of the self-service terminal to one of the end-user interface peripheral devices, the at least one of the number of end-user devices comprising a display screen controlled to provide a sequence of screens used in each transaction performed by the self-service terminal, and at least one of response data and event data for at least one of the number of end-user interface peripheral devices returned to the software, wherein each entry in the log file is coupled to a timestamp, the software further causing the test system to replay at least a portion of the exported log file on the test system with a delay between subsequent entries in the log file proportional to the period indicated by their respective timestamps such that activity of a test device of the test system follows that of a subject device or an application recorded in the log file, wherein the test system replay emulates failure of one of the end-user interface peripheral devices on failure by that end-user peripheral device, and the software further causing the test system to execute a comparison between responses from the test device and responses for the subject device in the log file.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 which when executed upon the processor causes the test system to delay the replay of subsequent entries in the log file by a period equal to the period indicated by their respective timestamps.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 which when executed upon the processor causes the test system to determine whether to import the whole or a portion of the log file automatically.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 which when executed upon the processor causes the determination of whether to import the whole or a portion of the log file to be based upon the nature of a fault sensed.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 which when executed upon the processor causes the determination of whether to import the whole or a portion of the log file to be based upon rules relating to the subject device in which a fault is sensed.