Automated method for installing and configuring a test suite on a unit under test

• US 20030182074A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Langdon, Christopher M., Paulsen, Dennis K., Mutchler, Shad L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/119
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/263 Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences ; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers

Abstract

A method of installing and configuring a test suite for a unit under test in an automated assembly process uses an identifier of the unit under test to retrieve the test files and other files for the installation and configuration. The identifier may be a serial number. The method uses the identifier to call up a Bill of Materials. From the Bill of Materials, test files and other files are generated.

Claims

1. A method of installing and configuring a test suite for a unit under test device, comprising:

receiving an identifier which uniquely identifies the unit under test device; and

installing and configuring test files for the unit under test device in which the test files are determined by the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a serial number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a bill of materials for the unit under test.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the identifier causes the retrieval of a bill of materials for the unit under test device.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating test files and tables specific to the bill of materials.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising copying the test files and other necessary files to the unit under test device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising loading and installing the library automatically configured into an operating system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending a system installation completed prompt to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the prompt appears in a message box on a computer accessed by the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user removes the connection hardware.

11. A system for configuring a unit under test device using a network, comprising:

a first unit under test device;

a first server communicatively coupled to the unit under test device; and

a test suite server on a first network which communicates with the first server and the first unit under test device, the first unit under test device and the first server not being on the first network.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a user inputs an identifier.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the identifier is a serial number.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the identifier is used to retrieve a Bill of Materials for the Unit Under Test device.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a second unit under test device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second unit under test device is on the first network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second unit under test devices and the first server and test suite server communicate through Ethernet.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a DHCP server.

19. A system for installing and configuring a test suite on a unit under test device, comprising:

means for a user to enter data and interface with the system, the user inputting an identifier for a unit under test device through the means to enter data and interface;

means for interpreting the identifier;

means for retrieving a Bill of Materials responsive to the identifier;

means for generating test files corresponding to the bill of materials;

means for installing and configuring the test files on the unit under test device; and

means for notifying the user that the step of installing and configuring is complete.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the identifier is one of the group consisting of a serial number, a customer invoice number, or a customer name and address.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the step of configuring involves determining the interrelationships between components of the Bill of Materials.