WWAN module testing system and method

Abstract

The present application provides a WWAN module testing system, comprising: a host for sending instructions and receiving test results; a switch connected to the host for data exchange between the host and an adapter board; multiple adapter boards connected to the switch for receiving instructions and converting the instructions into module identification instructions and sending them to the WWAN module, as well as receiving the test results of the WWAN module and feeding the test results back to the host; and WWAN modules, each of which is connected to an adapter board for receiving module identification instructions, performing corresponding operations according to the module identification instructions and generating test results, and feeding the test results back to the adapter board connected to the WWAN module. According to the WWAN module testing system, a host can simultaneously control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules, avoiding the situation where the WWAN modules are repeatedly plugged in and out of the host. Replacing the WWAN module for debugging or testing does not require restarting the host, thereby reducing the cost of the WWAN module during production testing and improving testing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of testing, and more specifically, to a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) module testing system and method. Background Art

[0002] With the development of wireless technology, the use of wireless wide area networks (WWANs) has become increasingly common. Network cards enable mobile devices to connect to the internet within the coverage area of ​​a cellular network. For example, a laptop computer can be equipped with a WWAN card to connect to a carrier's cellular network and, therefore, the internet.

[0003] Currently, there are numerous interfaces between WWAN modules and hosts, including the following: Universal Serial Bus (USB), Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE), and Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART). These physical interfaces connect to the host, and modules directly rely on their physical interfaces during production, debugging, and testing. Typically, a host can only operate one module, requiring manual replacement after the current module is completed. This makes debugging complex and time-consuming. For example, during module testing, a host can only test one module at a time, requiring the current module to complete before manually replacing it with another. During the current module testing process, only one host can download the version for each module, requiring the host to replace it with another module after the download is complete. This is particularly true when working with WWAN modules using PCIE interfaces, requiring the host to disassemble the debugging machine, insert the module into a slot on the motherboard, and then power on the machine for debugging. Each time a test module is replaced, the debugging machine must be shut down for operation, and then the new module must be inserted before it can be restarted for debugging. This debugging operation process is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also very likely to cause damage to the debugging machine. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Some embodiments of the present application provide a WWAN module testing system and method that can at least partially solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a WWAN module testing system is provided, which may include: a host, configured to send instructions and receive test results; a switch, connected to the host, configured to exchange data between the host and an adapter board; a plurality of adapter boards, connected to the switch, configured to receive the instructions, convert the instructions into module identification instructions, and send them to the WWAN module, as well as receive the test results of the WWAN module and feed the test results back to the host; the WWAN modules, each of which is connected to one adapter board, configured to receive the module identification instruction, perform corresponding operations according to the module identification instruction and generate the test results, and feed the test results back to the adapter board connected to the WWAN module.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present application, the host may also be used to detect the working status of the adapter board and the connection status between the adapter board and the switch, and obtain the detection results.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, the connection mode between the adapter board and the switch may include wired connection and wireless connection.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present application, the number of the WWAN modules is less than or equal to the number of the adapter boards.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, the adapter board may include: a core processing unit, which receives the instructions sent by the host and converts the instructions into the module identification instructions of the WWAN module; a power module, which is used to supply power to the adapter board; a network module, which is used to enable the adapter board to exchange data with the switch; a storage module, which is used to store the test instructions and the module identification instructions; and a physical interface, which is connected to the WWAN module and is used to send the module identification instructions to the WWAN module.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, the physical interface may include: a universal serial bus interface, an express peripheral interconnect standard interface, an M.2 interface, and a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter interface.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, the adapter board may also include test software for the WWAN module, and the test software may include: a driver module, connected to the host, including a wired network driver module and a wireless network driver module; a network device module, used for parameter setting of the test software; and a scheduling module, used to process the content of the instructions sent by the host and send the instructions to the corresponding physical interface, as well as receive the test results of the WWAN module and send the processed test results to the host.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, the adapter plate can be installed on a manual clamp or a mechanical clamp.

[0013] Another aspect of the present application provides a WWAN module testing method, the method comprising: a host sending an instruction to a switch; the switch sending the instruction to an adapter board; the adapter board converting the instruction into a module identification instruction, and sending the module identification instruction to the WWAN module; the WWAN module receiving the module identification instruction, performing a corresponding operation according to the module identification instruction, generating the test result, and feeding the test result back to the adapter board connected to the WWAN module;

[0014] The adapter board receives the test result of the WWAN module and feeds the test result back to the host.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present application, during the connection between the adapter plate and the switch, the adapter plate may be connected to the switch using a manual clamp or a mechanical clamp.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, data is transmitted between a host and a switch, and the switch is connected to multiple adapter boards. The adapter boards can convert instructions sent by the host into a format recognizable by the WWAN module and send it to the WWAN module. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a single host can simultaneously control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules, avoiding the need to repeatedly plug and unplug WWAN modules from the host. In particular, during the testing or debugging of WWAN modules with PCIE interfaces, replacing the debugged or tested WWAN module does not require restarting the host, reducing the cost of WWAN module production testing and improving testing efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Other features, objects and advantages of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments made with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a wired connection WWAN module testing system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a wireless connection WWAN module testing system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the hardware of the adapter board according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a software model of an adapter board according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application; and

[0022] Figure 5 4 is a flowchart of a WWAN module testing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] For a better understanding of the present application, various aspects of the present application will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these detailed descriptions are merely descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. The expression "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0024] In the accompanying drawings, the size, dimensions, and shapes of the elements have been slightly adjusted for ease of illustration. The accompanying drawings are for illustration only and are not drawn strictly to scale. As used herein, the terms "substantially," "approximately," and similar terms are used to indicate approximations, not degrees, and are intended to illustrate inherent deviations in measurements or calculations that would be recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, in this application, the order in which the steps are described does not necessarily represent the order in which these steps would occur in actual operation, unless otherwise specified or inferred from the context.

[0025] It should also be understood that expressions such as "comprises," "including," "having," "includes," and / or "comprising" are open rather than closed expressions in this specification, indicating the presence of the stated features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. In addition, when expressions such as "at least one of..." appear after a list of listed features, they modify the entire list of features rather than just the individual elements in the list. In addition, when describing embodiments of the present application, "may" is used to mean "one or more embodiments of the present application." And, the term "exemplary" is intended to refer to an example or illustration.

[0026] Unless otherwise defined, all words used herein (including engineering terms and scientific and technological terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. It should also be understood that, unless otherwise specified in this application, words defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having the same meaning as they do in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense.

[0027] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features of the embodiments in this application can be combined with each other. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0028] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a wired connection WWAN module test system according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, a wired connection WWAN module testing system 1000 may include a host 100 , a switch 200 , a transfer board 300 and a WWAN module 400 .

[0029] The host 100 can be connected to the adapter board 300 through the switch 200. The host 100 includes an interactive interface, which can be used to set the parameters of the test program and run the test program, control the WWAN module test system 1000 to perform test or debugging tasks, and display the progress and results of the test or debugging process through the interactive interface. The switch 200 is connected to the host 100 and multiple adapter boards 300 respectively. Data can be exchanged between the switch 200 and the host 100. The switch 200 can provide multiple connection ports, so the switch 200 can be connected to multiple adapter boards through a wired connection. For example, the switch 200 can provide multiple Ethernet ports, each of which can be connected to the Ethernet port of an adapter board, so a host 100 can connect to and control multiple adapter boards through the switch 200. The host 100 can also be used to detect the working status of the adapter board 300 and the connection status of the adapter board 300 and the switch 200, and obtain detection results. During the connection process between the adapter plate 300 and the switch 200 , the adapter plate 300 can be connected to the switch 200 using a manual clamp or a mechanical clamp.

[0030] The wired connection WWAN module test system 1000 can also include multiple adapter boards 300, for example, adapter board 1, adapter board 2... adapter board n-1, adapter board n. The host 100 can assign an IP address to each adapter board 300, and different adapter boards 300 have different IP addresses. For example, the IP addresses of adapter board 1, adapter board 2... adapter board n-1 and adapter board n are in the same network segment, but the IP addresses are different from each other. In this case, n can be an integer between 1≤n≤253, that is, one host 100 can control 253 adapter boards at the same time. In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, multiple adapter boards can be the same or different, and this application does not limit this. The adapter board 300 can be used to receive instructions, convert the instructions into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module 400, then receive the test results of the WWAN module 400, and feed the test results back to the host 100.

[0031] Each adapter board 300 can include multiple physical interfaces, so each adapter board 300 can be connected to a WWAN module 400 via an adapted physical interface. Therefore, the number of WWAN modules 400 is less than or equal to the number of adapter boards 300. For example, the number of WWAN modules 400 is equal to the number of adapter boards 300, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between each WWAN module 400 and each adapter board 300. The WWAN module 400 can receive module identification instructions sent by the adapter board 300, perform corresponding operations based on the module identification instructions, and generate test results. The WWAN module 400 then feeds the test results back to the adapter board 300 to which it is connected.

[0032] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, data is transmitted between a host and a switch, and the switch is wired to multiple adapter boards. The adapter boards can convert instructions sent by the host into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a single host can simultaneously control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules, avoiding the situation where the WWAN modules are repeatedly plugged in and out of the host. In particular, during the testing or debugging process of WWAN modules with PCIE interfaces, the replacement of the debugged or tested WWAN module does not require restarting the host, reducing the cost of the WWAN module during production testing and improving testing efficiency. In addition, the switch is wired to multiple adapter boards, and the WWAN module testing system is less susceptible to external interference and has high reliability.

[0033] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of a wireless connection WWAN module testing system according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, a wireless connection WWAN module testing system 2000 may include a host 100 , a switch 200 , a transfer board 300 and a WWAN module 400 .

[0034] The host 100 can connect to the adapter board 300 via the switch 200. The host 100 includes an interactive interface, which allows the host to set test program parameters and run the test program, control the WWAN module test system 2000 to perform test or debugging tasks, and display the progress and results of the test or debugging process via the interactive interface. The switch 200 is connected to the host 100 and multiple adapter boards 300 respectively. The switch 200 and the host 100 can connect to multiple adapter boards 300 via a wireless connection, allowing data to be exchanged between the switch 200 and the host 100. For example, the switch 200 can allow multiple adapter boards 300 to join the network simultaneously, so a single host 100 can connect to and control multiple adapter boards 300 via the switch 200. The host 100 can also detect the operating status of the adapter board 300 and the connection status between the adapter board 300 and the switch 200, and obtain detection results. During the connection process between the adapter board 300 and the switch 200, the adapter board 300 can be connected to the switch 200 using a manual clamp or a mechanical clamp.

[0035] The wireless connection WWAN module test system 2000 may also include multiple adapter boards 300, for example, adapter board 1, adapter board 2... adapter board m-1, adapter board m. The host 100 can assign an IP address to each adapter board 300, and different adapter boards 300 have different IP addresses. For example, m can be a positive integer, where the value of m can be determined by the performance of the switch. In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, multiple adapter boards 300 can be the same or different, and the present application does not impose any restrictions on this. The adapter board 300 can be used to receive instructions, convert the instructions into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module 400, and then receive the test results of the WWAN module 400 and feed the test results back to the host 100.

[0036] Each adapter board 300 can include multiple physical interfaces, so each adapter board can connect to a WWAN module 400 via an adapted physical interface. Therefore, the number of WWAN modules 400 is less than or equal to the number of adapter boards 300. For example, the number of WWAN modules 400 is equal to the number of adapter boards 300, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the WWAN modules 400 and the adapter boards 300. The WWAN modules 400 can receive module identification instructions sent by the adapter board 300, perform corresponding operations based on the module identification instructions, and generate test results. The WWAN modules 400 then feed back the test results to the adapter board 300 to which the WWAN module is connected.

[0037] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, data is transmitted between a host and a switch, and the switch is wirelessly connected to multiple adapter boards. The adapter boards can convert instructions sent by the host into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a single host can simultaneously control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules, avoiding the situation where the WWAN module is repeatedly plugged in and out of the host. In particular, during the testing or debugging process of WWAN modules with PCIE interfaces, the replacement of the debugged or tested WWAN module does not require restarting the host, reducing the cost of the WWAN module during production testing and improving testing efficiency. In addition, the switch is wirelessly connected to multiple adapter boards, and the WWAN module testing system has flexible networking and is not restricted by wired connections.

[0038] Figure 3 FIG is a hardware diagram of an adapter board according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, as Figure 3 As shown, the adapter board 300 may include a core processing unit 310 , a power module 320 , a network module 330 , a storage module 340 and a physical interface 350 .

[0039] The core processing unit 310 exchanges data with a switch (not shown) via the network module 330. Figure 3 The multi-core ARM Cortex A9 processor can receive commands sent by the host through the switch, such as functional test commands, positioning commands, and diagnostic commands. The core processing unit 310 can convert the host commands into module identification commands. Specifically, the core processing unit 310 can convert the host commands into a command format recognizable by the WWAN module and send them to the WWAN module, causing the WWAN module to perform the corresponding operations. For example, the WWAN module identification commands can be used to perform operations such as downloading firmware to the WWAN module, configuring the WWAN module to a specified mode, setting the WWAN module serial number, testing the WWAN module's performance, and verifying the proper functioning of the WWAN module's various functions. Furthermore, the core processing unit 310 can also transmit the results of the commands executed by the adapter board 300 to the host via the switch.

[0040] Power supply module 320, such as Figure 3 The power management unit (PMU) is used to supply power to the adapter board 300 to ensure the normal operation of the adapter board 300.

[0041] The network module 330 can provide a network connection for the adapter board 300. The network module 330 can be connected to the switch via a wired or wireless connection, thereby enabling data exchange between the adapter board 300 and the switch. For example, the adapter board 300 can include multiple Ethernet interfaces (RJ45) so that the adapter board 300 can be connected to the switch via a network cable. The adapter board 300 can also include a BCM4366 chip and a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) subunit to provide wireless connection capabilities for the adapter board 300, allowing the adapter board 300 to be connected to the switch wirelessly.

[0042] The storage module 340 can store the instructions received by the core processing unit 310 and the module identification instructions so that the adapter board 300 can perform corresponding operations according to the instructions. The storage module 340 can be, for example, Figure 3 The multi-chip package (MCP) memory shown in the figure can integrate different specifications of memory such as flash memory (FLASH), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR) into the MCP memory using a system packaging method.

[0043] The physical interface 350 is used to connect to the WWAN module and send instructions from the core processing unit 310 to the WWAN module, allowing the WWAN module to perform corresponding operations according to the instructions. The physical interface 350 may include a universal serial bus (USB), a peripheral interconnect express (PCIE), a universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (UART), and an M.2 interface. By providing multiple types of interfaces on the adapter board 300, the adapter board 300 can be compatible with multiple communication protocols, such as SATA, PCIE, USB, HSIC, UART, SMBus, etc.

[0044] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, by setting up multiple types of interfaces on the adapter board, the WWAN module is directly connected to the adapter board. The adapter board can convert the instructions sent by the host into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module, so that the WWAN module performs the corresponding operation. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a host can control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules at the same time, and avoid the situation where the WWAN module is repeatedly plugged in and out of the host. Replacing the WWAN module for debugging or testing does not require restarting the host, which reduces the cost of the WWAN module in the production testing process and improves the testing efficiency. For example, during the WWAN module debugging process, a host controls the version upgrades of several or even dozens of modules at the same time; during the testing process, the host can use the same set of test programs to control the WWAN module testing of multiple modules at the same time, thereby achieving the purpose of testing multiple WWAN modules at the same time. When testing the WWAN module that needs to be plugged in and out of the computer host, frequent plugging and unplugging between the module and the test host is avoided.

[0045] The WWAN module test system also includes test software, Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the adapter board software model according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application. In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, Figure 4 As shown, the test software may include a driver module 410, a network device module 420, and a scheduling module 430. Among them, the driver module 410 is used to connect to the host and may include a wired network driver module (Ethernet Driver) and a wireless network driver module (WIFI Driver). Exemplarily, the driver module 410 is connected to the host via a wired network driver module (Ethernet) and a wireless network driver module (WLAN).

[0046] The network device module 420 can be used to set the parameters of the test software. The network device module (Net Device) 420 includes an interactive interface. By setting the parameters of the test program and running the test program, it controls the WWAN module test system to perform testing or debugging tasks, and displays the progress and results of the test or debugging process through the interactive interface.

[0047] The dispatch module (Dispatcher) 430 is used to process the content of the instructions sent by the host, send the instructions to the corresponding physical interface, receive the test results of the WWAN module, and send the processed test results to the host. For example, if the host sends a functional test instruction, positioning instruction, diagnostic instruction, etc., the dispatch module 430 will send the instruction sent by the host to the physical interface of the corresponding WWAN module, causing the WWAN module to perform the corresponding operation. For example, the host can control the WWAN module to perform the following operations through the driver module 410 and the network device module 420: downloading firmware to the WWAN module, configuring the WWAN module to a specified mode, setting the serial number of the WWAN module, testing the performance of the WWAN module, and checking whether the various functions of the WWAN module are working properly. The dispatch module 430 can also receive the results after the WWAN module performs the above operations, allowing the host to obtain the final WWAN module test results through the information fed back by the WWAN module.

[0048] The test software may also include a physical interface module (MHI interface), wherein the interface of the physical interface module complies with the Universal Serial Bus (USB), PCIE Express, and UART standards. Exemplarily, the physical interface module may include: a network adapter (Net adapter), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), a debugging and diagnostic interface (Diagnostic), a series of instruction sets (AT Commands) for computer control of the WWAN module, an emergency download port (EDL), and an interface that supports the Sahara protocol and is used to dump device memory and upgrade device firmware.

[0049] According to the exemplary embodiment of the present application, the WWAN module test software is set through the interactive interface, and the test or debugging parameters of the WWAN module can be changed according to the test or debugging requirements, the test or debugging progress can be understood, and the test or debugging results of the WWAN module can be obtained in a timely manner.

[0050] On the other hand, the present application also provides a WWAN module testing method. Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a WWAN module testing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, the WWAN module testing method provided in this application includes:

[0051] Step S10: The host sends a command to the switch;

[0052] Step S20: The switch sends the instruction to multiple adapter boards;

[0053] Step S30: The adapter board converts the instruction into a module identification instruction and sends the module identification instruction to the WWAN module;

[0054] Step S40: The WWAN module receives the module identification instruction, performs corresponding operations according to the module identification instruction, generates test results, and feeds back the test results to the adapter board connected to the WWAN module;

[0055] Step S50: The adapter board receives the test result of the WWAN module and feeds the test result back to the host.

[0056] The following will be joined Figures 1 to 4 Detailed description of each step of WWAN module testing.

[0057] First, in step S10 and step S20, the host sends a command to the switch, and the switch sends the command to the adapter. Figure 1 As shown in FIG2 , the host 100 and the switch 200 can exchange data, and the host 100 can send instructions to the switch 200. For example, the host 100 includes an interactive interface, through which test program parameters can be set and the test program can be run, and the program execution instructions can be sent to the switch 200. The test program can also include testing the adapter board 300 connected to the switch 200, determining the operating status and connection status of the adapter board 300, and obtaining the test results of the adapter board 300. Before testing the WWAN module 400, the status of the adapter board 300 is tested to determine whether the adapter board 300 is functioning properly, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the test results. In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, before the host 100 runs the program, the WWAN module 400 to be tested can also be numbered or assigned a device identification code to the WWAN module 400, where the number or device identification code corresponds one-to-one to the WWAN module 400, and each WWAN module 400 has only a unique number or device identification code, so as to facilitate subsequent analysis of the test results of the WWAN module 400 based on the number or device identification code.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, after receiving a command transmitted by the switch 200, the adapter board 300 converts the command into a module identification command. The WWAN module 400 then receives the module identification command, performs the corresponding operation, and provides feedback on the execution result. The adapter board 300 and the switch 200 can communicate data via wired or wireless means.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the adapter board 300 and the switch 200 communicate data via a wired connection. The switch 200 can provide multiple Ethernet ports, each of which can be connected to an Ethernet port on a adapter board. Therefore, a host 100 can connect to and control multiple adapter boards 300 through the switch 200. That is, a host 100 can simultaneously send commands to multiple adapter boards 300 through the switch 200. After receiving the host's commands, the multiple adapter boards 300 process the commands and convert them into commands that can be recognized by the WWAN module 400. For example, the multiple adapter boards 300 are adapter board 1, adapter board 2, ..., adapter board n-1, and adapter board n. The host 100 can assign an IP address to each adapter board 300. Different adapter boards 300 have different IP addresses. For example, the IP addresses of adapter board 1, adapter board 2... adapter board n-1 and adapter board n are in the same network segment, but the IP addresses are different from each other. In this case, n can be an integer between 1≤n≤253, that is, one host 100 can control 253 adapter boards at the same time. In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, multiple adapter boards can be the same or different, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this. The adapter board 300 can be used to receive instructions, convert the instructions into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module 400, and then receive the test results of the WWAN module 400 and feed the test results back to the host 100. Each adapter board 300 can include multiple physical interfaces, so each adapter board can connect to a WWAN module 400 via an adapted physical interface. Therefore, the number of WWAN modules 400 is less than or equal to the number of adapter boards 300. For example, the number of WWAN modules 400 is equal to the number of adapter boards 300, and each WWAN module 400 corresponds to each adapter board 300. The WWAN module can receive module identification instructions sent by the adapter board 300, perform corresponding operations based on the module identification instructions, and generate test results. The WWAN module 400 then feeds the test results back to the adapter board 300 connected to the WWAN module 400. For example, the WWAN module 400 can perform the following operations based on the module identification instructions: download firmware to the module, configure the module to a specified mode, set the module serial number, test module performance, and check whether the various module functions are functioning properly.

[0060] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, data is transmitted between a host and a switch, and the switch is wired to multiple adapter boards. The adapter boards can convert instructions sent by the host into a format recognizable by the WWAN module and send it to the WWAN module. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a single host can simultaneously control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules, avoiding the repeated insertion and removal of WWAN modules from the host. Replacing the WWAN module for debugging or testing does not require restarting the host, reducing the cost of WWAN module production testing and improving testing efficiency. In addition, the wired connection between the switch and multiple adapter boards makes the WWAN module testing system less susceptible to external interference and highly reliable.

[0061] In another exemplary embodiment of the present application, the adapter board 300 and the switch 200 transmit data wirelessly. The switch 200 can allow multiple adapter boards 300 to join the network at the same time, so a host 100 can connect to and control multiple adapter boards 300 through the switch 200, that is, a host 100 can send instructions to multiple adapter boards 300 at the same time through the switch 200. After receiving the instructions from the host, the multiple adapter boards 300 process the instructions and convert them into instructions that can be recognized by the WWAN module 400. For example, the multiple adapter boards 300 are adapter board 1, adapter board 2... adapter board m-1, adapter board m. The host 100 can assign an IP address to each adapter board 300, and different adapter boards 300 have different IP addresses, where m can be a positive integer, and the value of m can be determined by the performance of the switch. In the exemplary embodiment of the present application, the multiple adapter boards can be the same or different, and the present application does not impose any restrictions on this. The adapter board 300 can be used to receive instructions, convert the instructions into module identification instructions, and send them to the WWAN module 400. It can then receive test results from the WWAN module 400 and feed the test results back to the host 100. Each adapter board 300 can include multiple physical interfaces, so each adapter board can be connected to a WWAN module 400 via an adapted physical interface. Therefore, the number of WWAN modules 400 is less than or equal to the number of adapter boards 300. For example, the number of WWAN modules 400 is equal to the number of adapter boards 300, and the WWAN modules 400 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the adapter boards 300. The WWAN module 400 can receive the module identification instructions sent by the adapter board 300, perform corresponding operations based on the module identification instructions, and generate test results. The WWAN module 400 then feeds the test results back to the adapter board 300 connected to the WWAN module 400.

[0062] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, data is transmitted between a host and a switch, which is wirelessly connected to multiple adapter boards. The adapter boards can convert instructions sent by the host into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a single host can simultaneously control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules, avoiding the repeated insertion and removal of WWAN modules from the host. Replacing a WWAN module for debugging or testing does not require restarting the host, reducing the cost of WWAN module production testing and improving testing efficiency. In addition, the switch is wirelessly connected to multiple adapter boards, making the WWAN module testing system flexible in networking and not restricted by wired connections.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the adapter board 300 may include a core processing unit 310 , a power module 320 , a network module 330 , a storage module 340 and a physical interface 350 .

[0064] The core processing unit 310 exchanges data with a switch (not shown) via the network module 330. Figure 3 The multi-core ARM Cortex A9 processor can receive commands sent by the host through the switch, such as functional test commands, positioning commands, and diagnostic commands. The core processing unit 310 can convert the host commands into module identification commands. Specifically, the core processing unit 310 can convert the host commands into a command format recognizable by the WWAN module and send them to the WWAN module, causing the WWAN module to perform the corresponding operations. For example, the WWAN module identification commands can be used to perform operations such as downloading firmware to the WWAN module, configuring the WWAN module to a specified mode, setting the WWAN module serial number, testing the WWAN module's performance, and verifying the proper functioning of the WWAN module's various functions. Furthermore, the core processing unit 310 can also transmit the results of the commands executed by the adapter board 300 to the host via the switch.

[0065] During the operation of the adapter board 300, the power module 320 can be used to supply power to the adapter board 300 to ensure the normal operation of the adapter board 300. For example, Figure 3 The power management unit (PMU) meets the power supply requirements of the adapter board 300 .

[0066] During the operation of the adapter board 300, the network module 330 can be used to provide a network connection for the adapter board 300. The network module 330 can be connected to the switch via a wired or wireless connection, thereby enabling data exchange between the adapter board 300 and the switch. For example, the adapter board 300 may include multiple Ethernet interfaces (RJ45) so that the adapter board 300 can be connected to the switch via a network cable; the adapter board 300 may also include a BCM4366 chip and a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) subunit to provide wireless connection capabilities for the adapter board 300, so that the adapter board 300 can be connected to the switch via a wireless connection.

[0067] During the operation of the adapter board 300, the storage module 340 can be used to store the instructions received by the core processing unit 310 and the module identification instructions so that the adapter board 300 can perform corresponding operations according to the instructions. The storage module 340 can be, for example Figure 3 The multi-chip package (MCP) memory in the system can integrate different specifications of memory such as flash memory (FLASH), dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR) into MCP memory using a system packaging method.

[0068] During the operation of the adapter board 300, the physical interface 350 can be used to connect to the WWAN module, and the instructions of the core processing unit 310 can be sent to the WWAN module, so that the WWAN module performs the corresponding operations according to the instructions. Among them, the physical interface 350 can include a universal serial bus interface (USB), a peripheral interconnect express standard interface (PCIE), a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter interface (UART), and an M.2 interface. By providing multiple types of interfaces on the adapter board 300, the adapter board 300 can be compatible with multiple communication protocols, such as SATA, PCIE, USB, HSIC, UART, SMBus, etc.

[0069] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, by setting up multiple types of interfaces on the adapter board, the WWAN module is directly connected to the adapter board. The adapter board can convert the instructions sent by the host into module identification instructions and send them to the WWAN module, so that the WWAN module performs the corresponding operation. During the WWAN module testing and debugging process, a host can control the debugging or testing of multiple WWAN modules at the same time, and avoid the situation where the WWAN module is repeatedly plugged in and out of the host. Replacing the WWAN module for debugging or testing does not require restarting the host, which reduces the cost of the WWAN module in the production testing process and improves the testing efficiency. For example, during the WWAN module debugging process, a host controls the version upgrades of several or even dozens of modules at the same time; during the testing process, the host can use the same set of test programs to control the WWAN module testing of multiple modules at the same time, thereby achieving the purpose of testing multiple WWAN modules at the same time. When testing the WWAN module that needs to be plugged in and out of the computer host, frequent plugging and unplugging between the module and the test host is avoided.

[0070] The above-described specific embodiments further illustrate the objectives, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A WWAN module testing system, characterized in that: include: Host, used to send commands and receive test results; A switch connected to the host and used for data exchange between the host and the adapter board; The plurality of adapter boards are connected to the switch, and are configured to receive the instructions, convert the instructions into module identification instructions, and send them to the WWAN module, as well as receive the test results of the WWAN module and feed the test results back to the host; The WWAN module, each of the WWAN modules is connected to one of the adapter boards, and the WWAN module is used to receive the module identification instruction, perform corresponding operations according to the module identification instruction and generate the test results, and feed back the test results to the adapter board connected to the WWAN module.

2. The test system according to claim 1, wherein: The host is further configured to detect the working status of the adapter board and the connection status between the adapter board and the switch, and obtain detection results.

3. The test system according to claim 1, wherein: The connection mode between the adapter board and the switch includes wired connection and wireless connection.

4. The test system according to claim 1, wherein: The number of the WWAN modules is less than or equal to the number of the adapter boards.

5. The test system according to claim 1, wherein: The adapter plate includes: a core processing unit, receiving the instruction sent by the host and converting the instruction into the module identification instruction of the WWAN module; A power module, used to supply power to the adapter board; A network module, configured to enable the adapter board to exchange data with the switch; a storage module, configured to store the instructions and the module identification instructions; and A physical interface is connected to the WWAN module and is used to send the module identification instruction to the WWAN module.

6. The test system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The physical interfaces include: a universal serial bus interface, a quick peripheral interconnect standard interface, an M.2 interface and a universal asynchronous receiver and transmitter interface.

7. The test system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The adapter board also includes test software for the WWAN module, and the test software includes: A driver module, connected to the host, including a wired network driver module and a wireless network driver module; A network device module, used for parameter setting of the test software; and The scheduling module is used to process the content of the instruction sent by the host and send the instruction to the corresponding physical interface, and receive the test result of the WWAN module and send the processed test result to the host.

8. The test system according to claim 1, wherein: During the process of connecting the adapter plate to the switch, the adapter plate is connected to the switch using a manual clamp or a mechanical clamp.

9. A WWAN module testing method, characterized in that: include: The host sends instructions to the switch; The switch sends the instruction to multiple adapter boards; The adapter board converts the instruction into a module identification instruction, and sends the module identification instruction to the WWAN module; The WWAN module receives the module identification instruction, performs a corresponding operation according to the module identification instruction, generates a test result, and feeds back the test result to the adapter board connected to the WWAN module; The adapter board receives the test result of the WWAN module and feeds the test result back to the host.

10. The testing method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The host detects the working status of the adapter board and the connection status between the adapter board and the switch, and obtains the detection result.

Images