Method for monitoring a graphical user interface on a second computer display from a first computer

• US 9,477,567 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eggplant Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Testplant, Inc.
• Inventors: Simons, Douglas P., Gillaspie, Jonathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heffington, John M
• Application Number:
  US14/219,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20140208170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 715/740, 715/761
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/50 Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control sequencing control G03G21/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2273 Test methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3414 Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/36 Preventing errors by testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3672 Test management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1415 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0008 checking presence/absence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/004 Predictors, e.g. intraframe, interframe coding

Abstract

A high level interface between a remote computer and local computer operator permits the remote computer to be controlled via a sequence of interactions. The remote computer may be monitored for display information which is expected, and also controlled in the event the expected information either is or is not obtained. Command language extensions are provided which extend and complement a basic scripting language. Scripts with embedded command language extensions may be executed through a remote interface, permitting remote testing, operation and evaluation. The development of the scripts, including embedded command language extensions, may be prepared through execution of commands at the local computer on a depiction of the GUI received from the remote computer, and subsequently saved as a script.

Claims

1. A computer system for testing a mobile device, the computer system being connected to the mobile device and comprising:

a memory unit that stores instructions comprising a testing script; and

at least one processing unit that executes the testing script to;

receive a representation of a graphical user interface of the mobile device;

detect a presence or absence of a first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface based on an image analysis; and

in direct response to detecting a presence of the first graphical element, automatically provide a signal to the mobile device to initiate an input action on the mobile device graphical user interface, wherein the input action is specified by a specific script command in the testing script.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the input action emulates an input command from a peripheral input device including at least one selected from a group comprising:

a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch screen device.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the input action includes at least one selected from a group comprising:

a mouse click, a mouse movement, and text entry.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first graphical element comprises less than the entire representation of the mobile device system graphical user interface.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the first graphical element comprises at least one selected from a group comprising:

an icon, text, a text box, and a prompt.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the testing script to:

automatically provide as the signal, a first signal to execute a first input action at the mobile device, in response to detecting a presence of the first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface during the search.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the testing script to:

indicate a failure, in response to detecting an absence of the first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface during the search.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the testing script to:

receive an additional representation of the graphical user interface of the mobile device subsequent to automatically providing the signal to the mobile device to initiate the input action in accordance with the testing script; and

detect a presence or absence of a second graphical element in the additionally received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface based on an image analysis.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the testing script to:

based on a result of detecting a presence of the second graphical element, automatically provide a signal to the mobile device to initiate another input action on the mobile device graphical user interface in accordance with the testing script.

10. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

a local display that depicts the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing unit further executes the testing script to:

capture user input effected with respect to the representation of the mobile device graphical user interface display; and

generate the testing script based on the captured user input.

12. A method implemented at a computer system for testing a mobile device connected to the computer system, the method executed by at least one processor and comprising:

receiving a representation of a graphical user interface of the mobile device;

detecting a presence or absence of a first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface based on an image analysis; and

in direct response to detecting a presence of the first graphical element, automatically providing a signal to the mobile device to initiate an input action on the mobile device graphical user interface, wherein the input action is specified by a specific script command in the testing script.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the input action emulates an input command from a peripheral input device including at least one selected from a group comprising:

a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch screen device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the input action includes at least one selected from a group comprising:

a mouse click, a mouse movement, and text entry.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first graphical element comprises less than the entire representation of the mobile device system graphical user interface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first graphical element comprises at least one selected from a group comprising:

an icon, text, a text box, and a prompt.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically providing as the signal, a first signal to execute a first input action at the mobile device, in response to detecting a presence of the first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface during the search.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

indicating a failure, in response to detecting an absence of the first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface during the search.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an additional representation of the graphical user interface of the mobile device subsequent to automatically providing the signal to the mobile device to initiate the input action in accordance with the testing script; and

detecting a presence or absence of a second graphical element in the additionally received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface based on an image analysis.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

based on a result of detecting a presence of the second graphical element, automatically providing a signal to the mobile device to initiate another input action on the mobile device graphical user interface in accordance with the testing script.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

depicting, on a local display, the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

capturing user input effected with respect to the representation of the mobile device graphical user interface display; and

generating the testing script based on the captured user input.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a testing script for enabling a computer system to implement a method for testing a mobile device connected to the computer system, the method comprising:

receiving a representation of a graphical user interface of the mobile device;

detecting a presence or absence of a first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface based on an image analysis; and

in direct response to detecting a presence of the first graphical element, automatically providing a signal to the mobile device to initiate an input action on the mobile device graphical user interface, wherein the input action is specified by a specific script command in the testing script.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the input action emulates an input command from a peripheral input device including at least one selected from a group comprising:

a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch screen device.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the input action includes at least one selected from a group comprising:

a mouse click, a mouse movement, and text entry.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the first graphical element comprises less than the entire representation of the mobile device system graphical user interface.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the first graphical element comprises at least one selected from a group comprising:

an icon, text, a text box, and a prompt.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically providing as the signal, a first signal to execute a first input action at the mobile device, in response to detecting a presence of the first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface during the search.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

indicating a failure, in response to detecting an absence of the first graphical element in the received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface during the search.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an additional representation of the graphical user interface of the mobile device subsequent to automatically providing the signal to the mobile device to initiate the input action in accordance with the testing script; and

detecting a presence or absence of a second graphical element in the additionally received representation of the mobile device graphical user interface based on an image analysis.