Optical module firmware timing test platform and test method

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of optical module testing, and particularly relates to an optical module firmware timing test platform, which comprises a host computer, a control board, a test unit, an oscilloscope and a power supply, the test unit comprises a test board, the test board is loaded with a to-be-tested optical module, the control board and the oscilloscope are both connected to the host computer, the to-be-tested optical module on the test board is in communication connection with the control board, the control board is connected to the oscilloscope through an indication signal pin, the emission end of the to-be-tested optical module is connected to the oscilloscope, the host computer is used for issuing a test instruction to the control board, acquiring a firmware timing waveform and performing analysis and calculation, the control board runs an optical module firmware timing test case in response to the instruction, and controls and monitors the test unit and the to-be-tested optical module to realize the test case, the control board also outputs an indication signal to the oscilloscope, the oscilloscope is used for displaying and recording the firmware timing waveform, and sends the waveform to the host computer for measurement and recording. The present application can effectively reduce the loss of manpower and time, improve the test repeatability, and accelerate the test speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical module testing technology, and in particular to an optical module firmware timing test platform and test method. Background Technology

[0002] Optical modules are one of the key components of optical communication networks, and their performance and functionality are crucial indicators for ensuring optical network communication. To ensure compatibility between optical modules and equipment from different suppliers, the development of optical modules must adhere to unified industry standards. Among these standards, specified firmware timing parameters are a vital basis for constraining the compatibility and reliability of optical modules on devices. Therefore, firmware timing testing is essential during the optical module design and verification phase.

[0003] Existing optical module timing testing techniques are mostly manual, which is inefficient. Furthermore, during development, changes to the firmware code, especially in software lifecycle and functional logic, often necessitate repetitive timing testing of the optical module firmware, impacting project progress. Therefore, there is a need to build an optical module firmware timing testing platform with automated testing capabilities. This invention addresses these shortcomings. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an optical module firmware timing test platform, which has automated testing capabilities, can greatly reduce the loss of manpower and time, improve test repeatability, and accelerate the testing speed of optical module firmware timing.

[0005] This invention provides an optical module firmware timing test platform, including a host computer, a control board, a test unit, an oscilloscope, and a power supply. The test unit includes a test board on which an optical module under test (DUT) is mounted. The control board and the oscilloscope are both connected to the host computer. The DUT on the test board is communicatively connected to the control board. The control board is also connected to the oscilloscope via an indicator signal pin. The transmitter of the DUT is connected to the oscilloscope. The host computer sends test commands for optical module firmware timing testing to the control board. The host computer also reads the firmware timing waveform displayed on the oscilloscope, performs measurements, and records the waveform. The control board responds to the commands sent by the host computer to run optical module firmware timing test cases and controls and monitors the test unit and the DUT to implement the firmware timing test cases. The control board also outputs an indicator signal to the oscilloscope, which is used to display and record the firmware timing waveform.

[0006] Preferably, the test board is provided with a gold finger slot and hardware pin terminals. The optical module under test is connected to the test board through the gold finger slot. The gold finger slot is connected to the hardware pin terminals. The hardware pin terminals are connected to the control board. The control board communicates with the optical module under test through an I2C interface.

[0007] Preferably, the test unit further includes a signal source, the control board is connected to the signal source and controls the emission and shutdown of the signal source, and the transmitting end of the signal source is connected to the receiving end of the optical module under test.

[0008] Preferably, the test unit further includes a bit error rate tester, and the optical module under test and the signal source are both connected to the bit error rate tester, which provides transmission signals to the optical module under test and the signal source.

[0009] Preferably, the power supply includes a digital power supply, the test board is provided with a power switch circuit, the control board is connected to the power switch circuit and controls the switching of the power switch circuit through the control board, the optical module under test and the digital power supply are both connected to the power switch circuit and the optical module under test is powered on or off through the switching of the power switch circuit.

[0010] This invention also provides a method for testing the firmware timing of an optical module, using the aforementioned optical module firmware timing test platform for measurement. The method includes the following steps:

[0011] The host computer sends test commands for timing tests of the firmware of the light-emitting module to the control board;

[0012] The control board responds to the instructions issued by the host computer to run the firmware timing test cases of the optical module, and operates the test unit and the optical module under test to implement the firmware timing test cases. The control board also outputs the indication signal to the oscilloscope.

[0013] Use an oscilloscope to display and record firmware timing waveforms, and capture firmware timing waveforms required for testing;

[0014] The host computer reads the firmware timing waveform data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes the raw data, calculates the waveform time difference, obtains the test results, and also obtains and archives screenshots from the oscilloscope.

[0015] Preferably, the testing steps of the host computer include:

[0016] Select the test metrics for timing testing of the optical module firmware;

[0017] Configure the oscilloscope to be in a trigger-ready state;

[0018] Start testing: The host computer sends test commands for the timing test of the light module firmware to the control board, causing the control board to run the timing test cases of the light module firmware.

[0019] Determine if the test was successful;

[0020] If the test fails and no trigger feedback is received, the test is repeated. If the test succeeds and a trigger is received, the measurement is performed. The host computer controls the oscilloscope and acquires the firmware timing waveform data required for the test. Then, the analysis and calculation are performed to obtain the firmware timing test results.

[0021] The host computer controls the oscilloscope to take screenshots, and then saves the screenshots.

[0022] This invention also provides a method for measuring the LOS response time of an optical module, using the aforementioned optical module firmware timing test platform. The method includes the following steps:

[0023] Set the indicator signal as the oscilloscope trigger source and configure the oscilloscope to be in a ready-to-trigger state.

[0024] The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the LOS response time of the optical module;

[0025] The control board responds to the command by first controlling the optical module under test to clear the existing abnormal flags and ensuring that the optical module under test has no LOS flags reported. Then, it controls the signal source to turn off the transmitting light and pulls the indicator signal low. Turning off the transmitting light will cause the optical module under test to receive LOS. The control board continuously accesses the LOS reporting register of the optical module under test. When the LOS flag is detected, the indicator signal is pulled high.

[0026] The oscilloscope is used to capture the waveform of the indicator signal during its change by triggering the high and low levels of the indicator signal.

[0027] After the host computer detects that the oscilloscope is in the triggered state through a query, it reads the waveform data stored in the oscilloscope, performs measurements and records them, and also obtains and saves screenshots of the oscilloscope.

[0028] The present invention also provides a method for measuring the initialization time of an optical module, which is performed using the aforementioned optical module firmware timing test platform. The method includes the following steps:

[0029] The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the initialization time of the optical module;

[0030] The control board responds to the command by first turning off the power switch circuit on the test board to put the optical module under test in a power-off state, and then turning on the power switch circuit to power on the optical module under test, while simultaneously pulling the indicator signal low.

[0031] After the optical module under test is powered on and initialized, it starts to emit light. The oscilloscope captures the waveform of the optical module emitting light when the indicator signal is pulled low. The host computer reads the data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes and measures it, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

[0032] This invention also provides a method for measuring the preparation time of monitoring and reporting data from an optical module, using the aforementioned optical module firmware timing test platform. The method includes the following steps:

[0033] The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the preparation time of the data reported by the optical module.

[0034] The control board responds to the command by first turning off the power switch circuit on the test board to put the optical module under test in a power-off state, and then turning on the power switch circuit to power on the optical module under test, while simultaneously pulling the indicator signal low.

[0035] The control board periodically reads the value of the Data_Not_Ready bit of the optical module under test. When the monitoring and reporting data is ready, the value of the Data_Not_Ready bit becomes 0, and the indicator signal is pulled high.

[0036] The oscilloscope captures the waveform of the indicator signal from low to high. The host computer reads the data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes and measures it, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

[0037] In summary, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0038] 1. The optical module firmware timing test platform has automated testing capabilities. The computer assigns test tasks and analyzes the results returned by the oscilloscope. The control board is responsible for the specific implementation of firmware timing test cases. No manual wiring or triggering is required. Therefore, this optical module firmware timing test platform can greatly reduce the loss of manpower and time, improve test repeatability, and speed up the testing speed of optical module firmware timing.

[0039] 2. The control board outputs high and low level changes to the oscilloscope through the indicator signal pin to indicate the test results. This makes it easy for the oscilloscope to capture the triggering of all test cases. An indicator signal pin is set up. During initialization, the indicator signal is pulled high. When triggered, the indicator signal is pulled low. After receiving the required feedback, the indicator signal is pulled high. At this time, the low level time in the waveform of the indicator signal can indicate the test result.

[0040] 3. After the oscilloscope captures the waveform of the indicator signal, it returns two types of data to the host computer: first, the waveform data of each channel, which the host computer uses to analyze the timing of the falling and rising edges of the indicator signal waveform and to calculate the time index; second, the oscilloscope screenshot, which is used for recording and attached to the test report for easy manual inspection.

[0041] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a structural block diagram of the optical module firmware timing test platform of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a test board of the present invention with an optical module under test mounted on it.

[0045] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating one of the host computer testing steps of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a waveform example of measuring the LOS response time of an optical module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a waveform example of measuring the initialization time of an optical module according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a waveform example of measuring the preparation time of data reported by the optical module for monitoring in the third embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The following will be based on embodiments of the present invention. Figures 1 to 6 The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described herein. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0050] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown in this embodiment, an optical module firmware timing test platform includes a host computer, a control board, a test unit, an oscilloscope, and a power supply. The test unit includes a test board on which the optical module under test is mounted. The control board and the oscilloscope are both connected to the host computer. The optical module under test on the test board is communicatively connected to the control board. The control board is also connected to the oscilloscope via an indicator signal pin. The transmitter of the optical module under test is connected to the oscilloscope. The host computer sends test commands for optical module firmware timing testing to the control board. The host computer also reads the firmware timing waveform displayed on the oscilloscope, and performs measurements and records them. The control board responds to the commands sent by the host computer to run optical module firmware timing test cases and controls and monitors the test unit and the optical module under test to implement firmware timing test cases. The control board also outputs an indicator signal to the oscilloscope, which is used to display and record the firmware timing waveform. In the above technical solution, the power supply provides power to the host computer, control board, test unit, oscilloscope, etc. The test unit includes a test board, which is used to connect the optical module under test. By controlling and monitoring the test unit and the optical module under test through the control board, the optical module firmware timing test environment can be well simulated, facilitating the implementation of optical module firmware timing tests. The control board is connected to the oscilloscope through indicator signal pins, which can easily output high and low level changes to indicate test results. The oscilloscope records the corresponding indicator signal waveform and emission waveform according to the firmware timing indicators. In this embodiment, the host computer is a computer, which allocates test tasks and analyzes the results returned by the oscilloscope. The control board is responsible for the specific implementation of firmware timing test cases, eliminating the need for manual wiring and triggering. The above-mentioned optical module firmware timing test platform has automated testing capabilities, which can greatly reduce labor and time losses, improve test repeatability, and accelerate the testing speed of optical module firmware timing. In this embodiment, the indicator signal output by the control board is connected to the oscilloscope, and the emitted optical signal of the optical module under test is connected to the oscilloscope through an optical probe. The indicator signal indicates the triggering time and the time of receiving feedback for each test case, which facilitates testing. Preferably, the computer is connected to the control board via USB, and the computer is also connected to the oscilloscope via USB.

[0052] In practice, the timing test indicators of optical module firmware usually include multiple different indicators. When testing different timing test indicators of optical module firmware, the test unit can be built with different structures according to actual needs. That is, in addition to the test board used to connect the optical module under test, the test unit can also add different specific components according to different timing test indicators of optical module firmware. For example, a signal source, bit error rate tester, etc. can be added according to actual test requirements. Preferably, the control board outputs high and low level changes to the oscilloscope via GPIO (i.e., indicator signal pins) to indicate the test results. Different test cases have different trigger conditions; some control the high and low levels of the pins, while others require writing a byte. The feedback obtained after triggering certain test cases cannot be directly captured by the oscilloscope. For example, in the test case measuring the LOS response time of an optical module, it is necessary to detect the LOS software flag being set. Therefore, an indicator signal pin is set up, and the indicator signal is pulled low during triggering. This way, the oscilloscope only needs to be connected to one indicator signal pin to capture the triggering of all test cases. By setting up one indicator signal pin, the indicator signal is pulled high during initialization, pulled low during triggering, and pulled high again after the required feedback is received. The duration of the low level in the waveform of the indicator signal indicates the test result. Furthermore, in this embodiment, after acquiring the raw data stream from the oscilloscope, it undergoes software algorithms such as debouncing and filtering on the host computer, and the test results are obtained through final analysis, which better meets actual testing needs.

[0053] Based on the optical module firmware timing test platform established above, this embodiment also discloses an optical module firmware timing test method. This method serves as a general test method for the test platform and includes the following steps:

[0054] (1) The test command for timing test of the firmware of the lower light-emitting module from the host computer is sent to the control board;

[0055] (2) The control board responds to the instructions issued by the host computer to run the firmware timing test cases of the optical module, and operates the test unit and the optical module under test to realize the firmware timing test cases. The control board will also output the indication signal to the oscilloscope.

[0056] (3) Use an oscilloscope to display and record firmware timing waveforms, and capture firmware timing waveforms required for testing;

[0057] (4) The host computer reads the firmware timing waveform data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes the raw data, calculates the waveform time difference, obtains the test results, and also obtains the oscilloscope screenshot and saves it for archiving.

[0058] As a preferred technical solution, the testing steps of the host computer include:

[0059] (1) Select test indicators for timing tests of optical module firmware;

[0060] In this step, the specific test indicators to be tested can be manually selected. The specific test indicators for the optical module firmware timing test include, but are not limited to, the optical module LOS response time indicator, the optical module initialization time indicator, and the optical module monitoring and reporting data preparation time indicator. Different test indicators correspond to different test instructions being issued to the control board.

[0061] (2) Configure the oscilloscope to be in a ready-to-trigger state;

[0062] In this step, the oscilloscope is configured. The X and Y axis scales of the oscilloscope are configured according to the test parameters selected in step (1), and the oscilloscope is put into a ready-to-trigger state.

[0063] (3) Start the test. The host computer sends the test command for the timing test of the firmware of the light-emitting module to the control board, so that the control board runs the timing test cases of the firmware of the light-emitting module.

[0064] In this step, the test begins, and the host computer sends test instructions to the control board. The test indicators selected in step (1) determine the test instructions sent by the host computer. After receiving the test instructions sent by the host computer, the control board responds to the instructions and runs the test cases.

[0065] (4) Determine whether the test was successful;

[0066] This step is used to determine whether a trigger feedback has been received.

[0067] (5) If the test is unsuccessful and no trigger feedback is obtained, the test is repeated, i.e., return to step (3). If the test is successful and trigger is obtained, the measurement is performed. The host computer controls the oscilloscope and obtains the firmware timing waveform data required for the test. Then, the analysis and calculation are performed to obtain the firmware timing test result.

[0068] In this step, if no trigger feedback is received, the test is repeated until the test is successful. If a trigger is received, a measurement is performed, the host computer controls the oscilloscope to obtain waveform data, and the data is analyzed to calculate the test result.

[0069] (6) The host computer controls the oscilloscope to take a screenshot, and saves the screenshot after reading it.

[0070] In this step, the oscilloscope takes a screenshot, and the host computer programs the oscilloscope to obtain and save the test waveform screenshot. Specifically, the host computer has a built-in program that facilitates sending test commands for firmware timing tests of the LED module to the control board, acquiring and analyzing the firmware timing waveforms displayed on the oscilloscope, and saving oscilloscope screenshots. Specifically, the computer instructs the control board to operate the LED module under test and the test unit (including the test board, signal source, etc.) to implement firmware timing test cases. The computer also acquires the firmware timing waveform data displayed on the oscilloscope through commands, analyzes and calculates the waveform time difference using software, and records and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment, the test board is equipped with a gold finger slot and hardware pin terminals. The optical module under test (DUT) is connected to the test board through the gold finger slot. The gold finger slot is connected to the hardware pin terminals, which in turn are connected to the control board. The control board communicates with the DUT via an I2C interface. In this embodiment, the DUT is inserted into the test board through the gold finger slot. The low-frequency signal on the gold finger slot is connected to the hardware pin terminals, which are then connected to the control board. Specifically, the control board connects to the test board via a GPIO port and an I2C interface. The I2C interface is used to establish communication with the DUT on the test board, and the GPIO is used to control the low-frequency signal of the optical module. In specific implementations, the DUT is equipped with gold fingers that are compatible with the gold finger slot on the test board, facilitating the installation of the optical module onto the test board. The hardware pin terminals are the low-frequency signal pins of the optical module. The control board controls these pins to construct the module state required by the firmware timing indicators.

[0072] As a preferred technical solution, the test unit further includes a signal source. The control board is connected to the signal source and controls the emission and shutdown of the signal source. The transmitting end of the signal source is connected to the receiving end of the optical module under test. In this embodiment, the test unit further includes a signal source. The control board can easily control the emission and shutdown of the signal source. The signal source can also be called a light source. The light signal emitted by the signal source is sent to the receiving end of the optical module under test, forming a transmission test environment for testing the receiving timing indicators of the optical module under test, such as testing the LOS response time of the optical module. It should be noted that some test cases do not require a signal source when performing firmware timing tests on optical modules. In specific implementation, the transmitting end of the optical module under test is connected to an oscilloscope via an optical fiber to an optical probe, and the receiving end of the optical module under test is connected to the transmitting end of the signal source via an optical fiber. In this embodiment, the control board controls the emission and shutdown of the signal source via GPIO.

[0073] As a preferred technical solution, the test unit further includes a bit error rate (BER) meter. Both the optical module under test (DUT) and the signal source are connected to the BER meter, which provides transmission signals to both the DUT and the signal source. In this embodiment, the test unit also includes a BER meter. The inclusion of a BER meter is necessary to maintain consistency in the testing environment for modules from different manufacturers. Specifically, the test board is equipped with receiving and transmitting terminals for receiving the modulation signals from the BER meter. The transmitting and receiving terminals are connected to the BER meter. High-frequency signals on the gold finger slots of the test board are connected to the transmitting and receiving terminals, respectively. The DUT is inserted into the gold finger slots, thus connecting the DUT to the BER meter. The BER meter is also connected to the signal source, allowing it to effectively provide transmission signals to both the DUT and the signal source. In specific implementations, a high-frequency signal line can be used to connect to the BER meter.

[0074] This embodiment also discloses a method for measuring the LOS response time of an optical module, which is performed using the optical module firmware timing test platform disclosed in the above embodiment. The method includes the following steps:

[0075] The indicator signal is set as the oscilloscope trigger source, and the oscilloscope is configured to be in a ready-to-trigger state. The host computer sends a test case command to measure the LOS response time of the optical module through the host computer program. The control board responds to the command by first clearing the existing abnormal flags reported by the optical module under test through I2C communication and ensuring that the optical module under test has no reported LOS flag. Then, it controls the signal source to shut down the transmitting light through GPIO and simultaneously controls the indicator signal to go low. Shutting down the transmitting light will cause the optical module under test to receive LOS. The control board accesses the LOS reporting register of the module under test through I2C. When the LOS flag is detected, the indicator signal is pulled high. The high and low changes of the indicator signal trigger the oscilloscope to capture the waveform of the indicator signal change process. After the host computer reads that the oscilloscope is in the triggered state by querying, the host computer reads the waveform data stored in the oscilloscope, performs measurement and recording, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

[0076] In this method, the control board responds to the instructions issued by the host computer to run test cases for measuring the LOS response time of the optical module. The control board operates the test unit and the optical module under test to implement firmware timing test cases. Specifically, the control board controls the optical module under test and the signal source to implement the test cases.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment, the power supply includes a digital power supply. The test board is equipped with a power switch circuit, and a control board is connected to the power switch circuit and controls its switching. Both the optical module under test (DUT) and the digital power supply are connected to the power switch circuit, and the DUT is powered on or off by the switching of the power switch circuit. In this embodiment, the power supply includes a digital power supply, specifically a multi-channel digital power supply. Further, the test board is equipped with a power input terminal connected to the power switch circuit. The power input terminal is connected to the digital power supply, and the power switch circuit is connected to a gold finger slot. This allows power to be supplied to the DUT via the gold finger. The power switch circuit can be controlled by an external signal, which is the control signal from the control board. In other words, the power switch circuit is controlled by the control board's level signal and can be used for power-on / off testing of the optical module. The control board can power on or off the DUT by controlling the switching of the power switch circuit. In specific implementations, the digital power supply can also power a signal source. Furthermore, the power supply may include other power supplies besides the digital power supply, such as those for other components (host computer, oscilloscope, etc.), which are existing technologies and will not be specifically described here.

[0078] This embodiment also discloses a method for measuring the initialization time of an optical module, which is performed using the optical module firmware timing test platform disclosed in the above embodiment. The method includes the following steps:

[0079] The host computer sends a test case command to measure the initialization time of the optical module through its program. The control board responds to the command by first controlling the power switch on the test board via GPIO to put the optical module under test into a power-off state, and then turning on the switch to power on the optical module under test, while simultaneously pulling the indicator signal low. After the optical module under test completes its power-on initialization, it begins to emit light. The oscilloscope captures the waveform from when the indicator signal is pulled low to when the optical module under test emits light. The host computer reads the data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes and measures it, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

[0080] In this method, the control board responds to the instructions issued by the host computer to run test cases that measure the initialization time of the optical module. The control board operates the test unit and the optical module under test to implement firmware timing test cases. Specifically, the control board controls the optical module under test and the power switch circuit to implement the test cases.

[0081] This embodiment also discloses a method for measuring the preparation time of monitoring and reporting data from an optical module. The method uses the optical module firmware timing test platform disclosed in the above embodiment for measurement, and includes the following steps:

[0082] The host computer sends a test case command to measure the preparation time of the monitoring and reporting data of the optical module through the host computer program. The control board responds to the command by first controlling the power switch on the test board through GPIO to put the optical module under test into a power-off state, and then turning on the switch to power on the optical module under test, while pulling the indicator signal low. The control board periodically reads the value of the Data_Not_Ready bit through IIC. When the monitoring and reporting data is ready, the value of the Data_Not_Ready bit becomes 0, and the indicator signal is pulled high. The oscilloscope captures the waveform from the low to the high indicator signal. The host computer reads the waveform data stored in the oscilloscope, performs measurement and recording, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

[0083] In this method, the control board responds to the instructions issued by the host computer to run test cases for measuring the data preparation time of the optical module monitoring and reporting. The control board operates the test unit and the optical module under test to implement firmware timing test cases. Specifically, the control board controls the optical module under test and the power switch circuit to implement the test cases.

[0084] In this invention, after the oscilloscope captures the waveform of the indicator signal, it returns two types of data to the host computer: first, waveform data for each channel, used by the host computer to analyze the falling and rising edges of the indicator signal waveform and calculate timing indicators. (For test cases measuring the initialization timing of the optical module, the host computer analyzes the waveform data to find the moment the indicator signal goes low and the moment the optical signal appears from nothing.) Second, oscilloscope screenshots, used for recording and attached to the test report for easy manual inspection.

[0085] In existing technologies, the control board and host computer of this embodiment are generally not included. Therefore, manual adjustments to wiring are required according to different test cases (including manually generating trigger signals and adjusting oscilloscope wiring), and time is spent on manual measurement and recording. This wastes a lot of manpower and results in poor testing efficiency. However, the optical module firmware timing test platform of this invention can either build different test units according to different test cases for separate testing, or connect all the components or modules required for various test cases (including signal sources, bit error rate testers, power switch circuits, etc.) at once, and then directly realize signal control, indicator signal output, oscilloscope control and automation through the control board and host computer, and automatically measure and record. In this way, repeated manual rewiring is not required during the testing process, which greatly saves manpower and effectively improves efficiency.

[0086] This invention implements test cases by instructing the control board of the host computer to operate the test unit and the optical module under test. This method has good responsiveness and test accuracy. In particular, for some test items that require hardware I / O port control signals, the test platform provided by this invention can perform tests better and better meet actual test needs.

[0087] The parts not covered in this embodiment are the same as or can be implemented using existing technologies, and will not be further described here.

[0088] Please note to all technical personnel: Although the present invention has been described according to the specific embodiments above, the inventive concept of the present invention is not limited to this invention. Any modifications that utilize the inventive concept will be included within the scope of protection of this patent.

Claims

1. A firmware timing test platform for optical modules, characterized in that, The system includes a host computer, a control board, a test unit, an oscilloscope, and a power supply. The test unit includes a test board on which a light module under test (DUT) is mounted. Both the control board and the oscilloscope are connected to the host computer. The DUT on the test board is communicatively connected to the control board. The control board is also connected to the oscilloscope via an indicator signal pin. The transmitter of the DUT is connected to the oscilloscope. The host computer sends test commands to the control board for firmware timing testing of the light module. The host computer also reads the firmware timing waveform displayed on the oscilloscope, performs measurements, and records the waveform. The control board responds to the commands sent by the host computer to run firmware timing test cases for the light module and controls and monitors the test unit and the DUT to implement the firmware timing test cases. The control board also outputs an indicator signal to the oscilloscope, which is used to display and record the firmware timing waveform. When measuring the LOS response time of an optical module, set the indicator signal as the oscilloscope trigger source and configure the oscilloscope to be in a ready-to-trigger state. The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the LOS response time of the optical module; The control board responds to the command by first controlling the optical module under test to clear the existing abnormal flags and ensuring that the optical module under test has no LOS flags reported. Then, it controls the signal source to turn off the transmitting light and pulls the indicator signal low. Turning off the transmitting light will cause the optical module under test to receive LOS. The control board continuously accesses the LOS reporting register of the optical module under test. When the LOS flag is detected, the indicator signal is pulled high. The oscilloscope is used to capture the waveform of the indicator signal during its change by triggering the high and low levels of the indicator signal. After the host computer detects that the oscilloscope is in the triggered state through a query, it reads the waveform data stored in the oscilloscope, performs measurements and records them, and also obtains and saves screenshots of the oscilloscope.

2. The optical module firmware timing test platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test board is provided with a gold finger slot and hardware pin terminals. The optical module under test is connected to the test board through the gold finger slot. The gold finger slot is connected to the hardware pin terminals. The hardware pin terminals are connected to the control board. The control board communicates with the optical module under test through an I2C interface.

3. The optical module firmware timing test platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The test unit also includes a signal source, the control board is connected to the signal source and controls the emission and shutdown of the signal source, and the transmitting end of the signal source is connected to the receiving end of the optical module under test.

4. The optical module firmware timing test platform according to claim 3, characterized in that, The testing unit also includes a bit error rate tester. The optical module under test and the signal source are both connected to the bit error rate tester, which provides transmission signals to the optical module under test and the signal source.

5. The optical module firmware timing test platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power supply includes a digital power supply. The test board is equipped with a power switch circuit. The control board is connected to the power switch circuit and controls the switching of the power switch circuit. The optical module under test and the digital power supply are both connected to the power switch circuit, and the switching of the power switch circuit enables the optical module under test to be powered on or off.

6. A method for timing testing of optical module firmware, characterized in that, The measurement is performed using the optical module firmware timing test platform as described in any one of claims 1-5, and the method includes the following steps: Select the test metrics for timing testing of the optical module firmware; Configure the oscilloscope to be in a trigger-ready state; The host computer sends test commands for timing tests of the firmware of the light-emitting module to the control board; The control board responds to the instructions issued by the host computer to run the firmware timing test cases of the optical module, and operates the test unit and the optical module under test to implement the firmware timing test cases. The control board outputs an indication signal to the oscilloscope; Use an oscilloscope to display and record firmware timing waveforms, and capture firmware timing waveforms required for testing; The host computer reads the firmware timing waveform data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes the raw data, calculates the waveform time difference, obtains the test results, and also obtains and archives screenshots from the oscilloscope. It also includes the step of measuring the LOS response time of the optical module: Set the indicator signal as the oscilloscope trigger source and configure the oscilloscope to be in a ready-to-trigger state. The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the LOS response time of the optical module; The control board responds to the command by first controlling the optical module under test to clear the existing abnormal flags and ensuring that the optical module under test has no LOS flags reported. Then, it controls the signal source to turn off the transmitting light and pulls the indicator signal low. Turning off the transmitting light will cause the optical module under test to receive LOS. The control board continuously accesses the LOS reporting register of the optical module under test. When the LOS flag is detected, the indicator signal is pulled high. The oscilloscope is used to capture the waveform of the indicator signal during its change by triggering the high and low levels of the indicator signal. After the host computer detects that the oscilloscope is in the triggered state through a query, it reads the waveform data stored in the oscilloscope, performs measurements and records them, and also obtains and saves screenshots of the oscilloscope.

7. The method for timing testing optical module firmware according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a step of measuring the optical module initialization time, which includes the following steps: The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the initialization time of the optical module; The control board responds to the command by first turning off the power switch circuit on the test board to put the optical module under test in a power-off state, and then turning on the power switch circuit to power on the optical module under test, while simultaneously pulling the indicator signal low. After the optical module under test is powered on and initialized, it starts to emit light. The oscilloscope captures the waveform of the optical module emitting light when the indicator signal is pulled low. The host computer reads the data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes and measures it, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

8. The method for testing the firmware timing of an optical module according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes the step of measuring the preparation time for monitoring and reporting data from the optical module, including the following steps: The host computer sends a test command to the control board to measure the preparation time of the data reported by the optical module. The control board responds to the command by first turning off the power switch circuit on the test board to put the optical module under test in a power-off state, and then turning on the power switch circuit to power on the optical module under test, while simultaneously pulling the indicator signal low. The control board periodically reads the value of the Data_Not_Ready bit of the optical module under test. When the monitoring and reporting data is ready, the value of the Data_Not_Ready bit becomes 0, and the indicator signal is pulled high. The oscilloscope captures the waveform of the indicator signal from low to high. The host computer reads the data recorded by the oscilloscope, analyzes and measures it, and also obtains and saves the oscilloscope screenshot.

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