Systems, methods, and apparatuses for testing mobile device applications

• US 9,430,364 B1
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobile Labs LLC
• Inventors: Ryan, Michael, Orlando, Stephen, Beatrice, Karen, Straight, Mackenzie, Dudar, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US14/093,854
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 717124-127
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3668 Software testing software testing in telephone exchanges H04M3/242, testing of hardware G06F11/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3696 Methods or tools to render software testable

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for facilitating optimization of mobile application testing. In one embodiment, a mobile application testing system (MATS) allows simultaneous communication to a plurality of devices regardless of device type and operating system. Accordingly, the MATS performs mobile testing without “jail-breaking” or removing various components of the user device. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the MATS enables users to securely test mobile applications by supporting data routing behind a security firewall utilizing a transition of communications protocols. Further, various protocols provide a data tunnel allowing multiple concurrent testing sessions for multiple users via an authentication scheme. Additionally, concurrent testing sessions may include single app testing on multiple devices or a plurality of apps testing on a plurality of devices.

Claims

1. A method for testing one or more software applications on a plurality of devices via a management computer system, wherein the management computer system is operatively connected to the plurality of devices and to one or more user machines associated with one or more users desirous of testing the one or more software applications on the plurality of devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request at the management computer system from a specific user machine for testing a particular software application installed on a particular device of the plurality of devices;

retrieving device information from a device agent running on the particular device, wherein the device information includes an object inventory of platform-specific objects associated with the particular software application and each of the plurality of platform-specific objects corresponding to at least one application function;

generating a common object model based on the object inventory of platform-specific objects and the particular operating platform associated with the particular device;

receiving a platform-agnostic functional application testing command at the management computer system from the specific user machine for testing the particular software application on the particular device, the platform-agnostic functional application testing command comprising at least one object and a testing action;

determining, from the common object model, a platform-specific object associated with the particular software application corresponding to the at least one object defined in the platform-agnostic functional application testing command; and

generating and transmitting a platform-specific functional application testing command to the device agent for testing the particular software application on the particular operating platform of the particular device, wherein the platform-specific functional application testing command is translated from an automated platform-agnostic testing command received based on the object inventory of the plurality of platform-specific objects, at least one of the plurality of platform-specific objects corresponding to the at least one application function, and based on a single testing command of a plurality of testing commands that represent a particular functionality of the mobile software application to be executed on at least one object of the plurality of objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the common object model comprises a plurality of common objects mapped to a corresponding plurality of platform-specific objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the common object model is generated via the management computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the common object model is generated at the specific user machine via a client module.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving platform-specific test event data from the device agent of the particular device in response to the platform-specific functional application testing command; and

providing the platform-specific test event data to the specific user machine for display to a user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the platform-specific test event data includes one or more of the following:

event information, event responses, screen captures, reporting data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the screen captures are object-based.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a generic pathway via the management computer system for exchanging data between the device agent of the particular device and the specific user machine.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generic pathway is generated via a multiplexor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the platform-specific functional application testing command to the device agent for testing the particular software application on the particular device further comprises transmitting the platform-specific functional application testing command to a particular communication socket on a hub, wherein the particular communication socket is associated with the particular device and routes the platform-specific functional application testing command to the particular device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the hub comprises a USB hub for aggregating the plurality of mobile devices to the management computer system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the management server comprises a USB server.

13. A system for testing one or more software applications on a plurality of devices, comprising:

a server operatively connected to a plurality of devices and to one or more user machines associated with one or more users desirous of testing one or more software applications on the plurality of devices;

a database for storing information relating to;

(a) the one or more software applications, and (b) a common object model that maps platform-specific objects associated with particular software applications and particular operating platforms to platform-agnostic objects; and

a processor operatively coupled to the server and the database, wherein the processor is operatively configured to;

receive a request from a specific user machine for testing a particular software application installed on a particular device of the plurality of devices;

retrieve device information from a device agent running on the particular device, wherein the device information includes an object inventory of platform-specific objects associated with the particular software application and a particular operating platform of the particular device;

retrieve the common object model from the database;

receive a platform-agnostic functional application testing command from the specific user machine for testing the particular software application on the particular device, the platform-agnostic functional application testing command comprising at least one object and a testing action;

determine, from the common object model, a platform-specific object associated with the particular software application corresponding to the at least one object defined in the platform-agnostic functional application testing command; and

generate and transmit a platform-specific functional application testing command to the device agent for testing the particular software application on the particular operating platform of the particular device, wherein the platform-specific functional application testing command is translated from an automated platform-agnostic testing command received based on the object inventory of the plurality of platform-specific objects, at least one of the plurality of platform-specific objects corresponding to the at least one application function, and based on a single testing command of a plurality of testing commands that represent a particular functionality of the mobile software application to be executed on at least one object of the plurality of objects.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operatively configured to:

receive platform-specific test event data from the device agent of the particular device in response to the platform-specific functional application testing command; and

provide the platform-specific test event data to the specific user machine for display to a user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the platform-specific test event data includes one or more of the following:

event information, event responses, screen captures, reporting data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the screen captures are object-based.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operatively configured to generate a generic pathway for exchanging data between the device agent of the particular device and the specific user machine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the generic pathway is generated via a multiplexor.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the step of transmitting the platform-specific functional application testing command to the device agent for testing the particular software application on the particular device further comprises transmitting the platform-specific functional application testing command to a particular communication socket on a hub, wherein the particular communication socket is associated with the particular device and routes the platform-specific functional application testing command to the particular device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the hub comprises a USB hub for aggregating the plurality of mobile devices to the server.