Aging test unit networking synchronization method and system

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of aging test, in particular to an aging test unit networking synchronization method and system. According to the method, a single data packet can be simultaneously distributed to all test machines by means of a network underlying function by controlling a host to send an instruction in a connectionless one-to-many protocol. The mechanism fundamentally eliminates inherent and uncertain network delay caused by sequentially establishing connection and sending instructions one by one. All the test machines receive the synchronization instruction almost in the same microsecond-level moment in the monitoring state and immediately start to execute the test operation, so that the test start-stop moments of all the devices are highly consistent, the millisecond-level and even microsecond-level synchronization precision is realized, and the reliability and comparability of test results are greatly enhanced. High-precision time synchronization control is realized, and the consistency of test conditions and results is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aging test technology, and in particular to a method and system for synchronizing aging test machine networks. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of electronic product manufacturing, aging testing is a crucial process for verifying product reliability and stability and identifying early failures. This test simulates long-term use by applying electrical and thermal stresses to the product under test for a specific period, thus identifying defective units. With the expansion of production scale, to improve testing efficiency and space utilization, it is often necessary to centrally deploy dozens or even hundreds of aging test machines (or "aging cabinets") and manage them uniformly. Therefore, how to effectively network and synchronously control multiple aging test machines has become an important technical problem in this field.

[0003] Currently, there are two main technical solutions in the industry for achieving synchronous control of multiple aging test machines in a network: 1. Standalone Independent Control Mode: In this mode, each aging test machine is equipped with an independent industrial control computer (host computer). Testers need to operate each industrial control computer locally, including configuring test parameters, starting and stopping test tasks, and collecting test data.

[0004] 2. Master-Slave Control Mode Based on TCP Protocol: This mode uses a single host as the control terminal (Master) to establish a one-to-many network connection with multiple aging test machines (Slaves) in the network via the TCP / IP protocol. The master is responsible for sending unified control commands to each slave. After receiving the commands, the slaves execute the corresponding test actions and return their status and test data to the master.

[0005] However, the aforementioned existing technical solutions have the following urgent technical problems that need to be solved: First, in the stand-alone control mode, the testing process is cumbersome, labor costs are high, and testing efficiency is low because testers need to perform repetitive operations on each device. More importantly, the start and stop times of each test machine depend entirely on manual operation, making it impossible to achieve synchronous start and end of the test, which affects the consistency of the test cycle and results.

[0006] Secondly, while centralized control is achieved in the TCP-based master-slave control model, the inherent reliability mechanisms of TCP, such as the three-way handshake, acknowledgment, and retransmission, introduce significant network latency and communication overhead. As the number of slave devices increases, the master needs to maintain a large number of TCP connections, which severely consumes the master's computing resources and network bandwidth, making system performance a bottleneck. The direct consequence is that control commands are difficult to deliver accurately and simultaneously to all slave devices, leading to differences in the start and stop times of tests between different test machines, making high-precision synchronous control impossible. Furthermore, the TCP protocol stack is complex, placing high demands on the processor performance of embedded slave devices, or requiring the development of complex multi-connection management software on the master side, increasing the overall system complexity and development and maintenance costs.

[0007] In summary, the existing aging test machine networking synchronization schemes mainly suffer from technical defects such as low testing efficiency, heavy network load and poor synchronization, as well as high system complexity and cost, which urgently need to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention provides a method and system for aging test machine network synchronization, which solves the technical problem of poor synchronization in existing aging test machine network synchronization schemes.

[0009] The first aspect of this invention provides a method for synchronizing aging test machines in a network, applicable to a system comprising a control host and multiple aging test machines connected to the same local area network, including: S1: The control host generates a synchronization control command and sends the synchronization control command to all aging test machines in the local area network through a one-to-many communication protocol; S2: Each aging test machine listens to the preset communication address and receives the synchronization control command; S3: The aging tester performs the test operation according to the synchronous control command.

[0010] In the first possible implementation of the first aspect, the one-to-many communication protocol is UDP multicast, UDP broadcast, QUIC protocol, or WebSocket protocol.

[0011] In conjunction with the first possible implementation of the first aspect, in the second possible implementation of the first aspect, S2 includes: S21: After each aging test machine is started, it joins the multicast group determined by the preset UDP multicast address via the IGMP protocol. S22: Each aging test machine listens to the multicast address and receives the synchronization control command.

[0012] In the third possible implementation of the first aspect, S1 is followed by: S4: The control host listens on a specific UDP port; S5: Each aging tester collects its own status data during the test process and sends the status data to the UDP port via UDP unicast.

[0013] In conjunction with the third possible implementation of the first aspect, the fourth possible implementation of the first aspect, after S5, also includes: S6: The control host receives and parses the status data reported by each aging test machine, and performs centralized monitoring and display.

[0014] In the fifth possible implementation of the first aspect, S3 is followed by: S7: If the control host does not receive confirmation or status response from one or more aging test machines for the synchronization control command within the predetermined time, it will resend the synchronization control command to the one or more aging test machines via UDP unicast.

[0015] In the sixth possible implementation of the first aspect, S1 is preceded by: S0: Configure the test task parameters and encapsulate the test task parameters in the synchronization control command.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention provides an aging tester network synchronization system for performing any of the methods provided in the first aspect, comprising: A control host connected to the same local area network and multiple aging test machines; The control host is configured to generate synchronization control commands and simultaneously send the synchronization control commands to all aging test machines in the local area network via a lightweight one-to-many communication protocol. Each aging test machine is configured to: listen to a preset communication address, receive the synchronization control command, and execute test operations according to the synchronization control command.

[0017] The third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of any of the possible implementations of the aging tester network synchronization method provided in the first aspect.

[0018] The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of any of the possible implementations of the aging test machine network synchronization method provided in the first aspect.

[0019] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the present invention has the following advantages: ① This invention achieves high-precision time synchronization control, ensuring consistency between test conditions and results. This method eliminates the need to establish and maintain multiple independent connections. By controlling the host to send commands using a connectionless one-to-many protocol, a single data packet can be simultaneously distributed to all test machines through underlying network functions. This mechanism fundamentally eliminates the inherent, uncertain network latency caused by sequential connection establishment and command transmission. All test machines, in listening mode, receive the synchronization command almost simultaneously within microseconds and immediately begin executing test operations. This ensures highly consistent start and stop times for each device, achieving millisecond-level or even microsecond-level synchronization accuracy, greatly enhancing the reliability and comparability of test results.

[0020] ② This invention significantly improves testing efficiency and substantially reduces labor costs. Its core lies in its method, which changes the outdated approach of requiring individual operation of each aging test machine. By generating synchronous control commands from the control host and sending them all at once to all aging test machines within the local area network using a one-to-many communication protocol, "one-click operation, global response" is achieved. This eliminates the need for operators to shuttle between multiple devices and perform repetitive configurations, minimizing the complexity and time cost of starting tests regardless of the size of the test machines. Subsequently, each test machine autonomously receives and executes the command by listening to a preset address, achieving parallel task processing and thus improving overall testing efficiency by several to tens of times, fundamentally liberating manpower.

[0021] ③ This invention significantly reduces the network and computational load on the system core, and lowers the overall complexity and cost. Since the control host only needs to generate and send a single data packet in the downlink direction to instruct all test machines, its network traffic and CPU overhead are independent of the number of test machines, exhibiting optimal constant complexity. This completely solves the problem of the host becoming a system performance bottleneck due to maintaining a large number of connections in the traditional master-slave mode, giving the system excellent scalability. At the same time, the lightweight communication protocol on which this solution relies does not require complex protocol stack processing, reducing the computational performance requirements of the embedded controller on the test machine, making the use of low-cost hardware possible, and correspondingly reducing the difficulty and cost of software development and subsequent maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0022] 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.

[0023] Figure 1This is a flowchart illustrating a method for synchronizing an aging test machine network, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention provides a method and system for aging test machine network synchronization, which solves the technical problem of poor synchronization in the prior art of aging test machine network synchronization scheme.

[0025] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this invention more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only some embodiments of this invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0026] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application. In addition, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a replaceable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0028] In existing technologies, while centralized control is achieved in the master-slave control mode based on the TCP protocol, the inherent reliability mechanisms of the TCP protocol, such as the three-way handshake, acknowledgment, and retransmission, introduce significant network latency and communication overhead. As the number of slave devices increases, the master device needs to maintain a large number of TCP connections, which severely consumes the master's computing resources and network bandwidth, making system performance a bottleneck. The direct consequence is that control commands are difficult to deliver accurately and simultaneously to all slave devices, resulting in differences in the start and stop times of tests between different test machines, making high-precision synchronous control impossible. Example

[0029] Please see Figure 1 The present invention provides a method for aging tester network synchronization, applicable to a system comprising a control host and multiple aging testers connected to the same local area network, including: S1: The control host generates synchronization control commands and sends them to all aging test machines in the local area network through a one-to-many communication protocol. This step aims to fundamentally solve the problems of excessive network and computing load and asynchronous command issuance in the traditional TCP master-slave mode. Its function is to leverage the inherent "send once, receive all" characteristic of the one-to-many communication protocol to reduce the complexity of downlink control signaling from O(n) to O(1), laying the foundation for high-precision synchronization. Specifically, the master control software running on the host serializes the user-configured test parameters (such as starting voltage, current curve, test duration, etc.) into a structured data packet, which is the synchronization control command. Subsequently, the host sends this command data packet to a preset network address through an initialized network socket. The key point here is the "one-to-many communication protocol" used, which determines the data packet distribution mode in the network and is the core of achieving the purpose of this step. This step is the broadcast distribution process of the synchronization command initiated by the host, and it is the starting point for driving the synchronous operation of the entire system.

[0030] Implementation Method 1 (Based on Connectionless UDP Packet Protocol): This method encompasses UDP multicast and UDP broadcast, and is the preferred solution for achieving the lowest latency and minimal system overhead. The control host encapsulates synchronization control commands in UDP packets and sends them. If UDP multicast is used, the host sends the packet to a specific multicast address (e.g., 239.255.255.250:8888). The network switch automatically distributes the packet to all test machines that have joined the multicast group via the IGMP protocol. This method has high network efficiency and generates traffic only for group members. If UDP broadcast is used, the host sends the packet to the broadcast address of its local subnet (e.g., 192.168.1.255:8888). All devices within the LAN receive the packet, and test machines filter and receive it by listening on the corresponding port. This method is simple to implement, but generates traffic throughout the subnet. Implementation Method 2 (Based on Application Layer Streaming Protocol): This method encompasses the QUIC or WebSocket protocols and is used in scenarios requiring reliable transmission and accepting slightly higher latency than UDP. These protocols establish and maintain one-to-many communication channels at the application layer. If the QUIC protocol is used, the control host acts as a QUIC server, establishing UDP-based QUIC connections with each test machine (QUIC client). The host utilizes the built-in multiplexing and unreliable datagram extensions of the QUIC protocol, or directly uses reliable streaming to broadcast control commands, providing reliability while reducing latency using UDP and zero-RTT connections. If the WebSocket protocol is used, the control host operates as a WebSocket server. Each test machine, acting as a client, first establishes a bidirectional TCP connection with the host via the HTTPUpgrade mechanism. Subsequently, the host sends the same synchronization control command frames to all connected test machine clients through this persistent connection. This approach is particularly suitable for scenarios where the test machine software is implemented using web technologies (such as a browser environment).

[0031] S2: Each aging test machine listens to the preset communication address and receives synchronization control commands; This step is designed to ensure that all test machines can accurately and in real-time capture synchronization commands from the host, a crucial step in achieving "simultaneous start." Its purpose is to make the distributed test machine nodes a unified receiving entity at the communication layer, creating the prerequisite for synchronous execution. The key to this step is "listening to a preset communication address," meaning that the agent program running on each test machine, after startup, must actively bind its network socket to a specific IP address and port corresponding to the host's sending address and continuously listen for data packets on that address. For multicast methods, the test machine also needs to join the corresponding multicast group via the IGMP protocol to declare its willingness to receive. Essentially, this step is a network preparation and data capture process performed by the test machine as the receiving end, a continuous background process.

[0032] Implementation Method 1 (Listening to Multicast Address): After initialization, the agent program on each aging test machine registers with the operating system and joins the multicast group set by the host (e.g., 239.255.255.250:8888). Its network socket then continuously listens for data sent to that multicast address. When a multicast data packet arrives from the host, the network stack passes it to all registered test machine agents. Implementation Method 2 (Listening to Broadcast Port): The agent program on each aging test machine binds its network socket to the broadcast port (e.g., 8888) used by the host for listening. When a broadcast data packet arrives from the host, all test machines listening on that port within the local area network can receive the data packet.

[0033] S3: The aging tester executes test operations according to the synchronous control command.

[0034] This step is the final stage in translating communication synchronization into test action synchronization, aiming to resolve the issue of inconsistent response times among different test machines. Its purpose is to ensure that all test machines, upon receiving the same command, can start or stop the test process almost synchronously with no delay, thereby guaranteeing a high degree of consistency in test conditions. The key point is that upon receiving a data packet, the test machine must immediately parse it, reconstruct the specific control commands (such as "start test," "stop test," "set parameters," etc.) and parameters issued by the host, and then invoke the local hardware control interface (such as controlling the power switch via GPIO, setting the output voltage via DAC, configuring electronic loads via the communication bus, etc.) to execute the corresponding physical operations. This step is the instantaneous response process at the test machine end, translating network commands into actual control signals; its execution speed directly determines the final synchronization accuracy of the system.

[0035] Implementation Method 1 (Immediate Execution Mode): After successfully parsing the synchronization control command, the test machine's agent program immediately calls the underlying driver function to execute the operation required by the command without any additional waiting or confirmation. For example, upon parsing the "Start Test" command, it immediately closes the relay to supply power to the device under test and starts the data acquisition thread. This solution has the lowest latency and is the preferred choice for achieving the highest synchronization accuracy.

[0036] Implementation Method Two (Execution Mode with Local Verification): After parsing the instructions, the test machine's agent program quickly verifies the rationality of the parameters (such as whether the voltage value is within the safe range). The operation is only executed after the verification is successful. This mode adds a layer of security while ensuring synchronization, making it suitable for scenarios with extremely high test safety requirements.

[0037] The beneficial effects of this embodiment include: ① This invention achieves high-precision time synchronization control, ensuring consistency between test conditions and results. This method eliminates the need to establish and maintain multiple independent connections. By controlling the host to send commands using a connectionless one-to-many protocol, a single data packet can be simultaneously distributed to all test machines through underlying network functions. This mechanism fundamentally eliminates the inherent, uncertain network latency caused by sequential connection establishment and command transmission. All test machines, in listening mode, receive the synchronization command almost simultaneously within microseconds and immediately begin executing test operations. This ensures highly consistent start and stop times for each device, achieving millisecond-level or even microsecond-level synchronization accuracy, greatly enhancing the reliability and comparability of test results.

[0038] ② This invention significantly improves testing efficiency and substantially reduces labor costs. Its core lies in its method, which changes the outdated approach of requiring individual operation of each aging test machine. By generating synchronous control commands from the control host and sending them all at once to all aging test machines within the local area network using a one-to-many communication protocol, "one-click operation, global response" is achieved. This eliminates the need for operators to shuttle between multiple devices and perform repetitive configurations, minimizing the complexity and time cost of starting tests regardless of the size of the test machines. Subsequently, each test machine autonomously receives and executes the command by listening to a preset address, achieving parallel task processing and thus improving overall testing efficiency by several to tens of times, fundamentally liberating manpower.

[0039] ③ This invention significantly reduces the network and computational load on the system core, and lowers the overall complexity and cost. Since the control host only needs to generate and send a single data packet in the downlink direction to instruct all test machines, its network traffic and CPU overhead are independent of the number of test machines, exhibiting optimal constant complexity. This completely solves the problem of the host becoming a system performance bottleneck due to maintaining a large number of connections in the traditional master-slave mode, giving the system excellent scalability. At the same time, the lightweight communication protocol on which this solution relies does not require complex protocol stack processing, reducing the computational performance requirements of the embedded controller on the test machine, making the use of low-cost hardware possible, and correspondingly reducing the difficulty and cost of software development and subsequent maintenance.

[0040] Based on the use of UDP multicast as a one-to-many communication protocol, a clear mechanism is needed to manage multicast group membership and accurately capture data to ensure its efficient and correct operation. Without this mechanism, the test machine may fail to receive instructions or cause unnecessary flooding of network traffic. Therefore, it is necessary to specifically standardize the multicast subscription and listening process on the test machine. Therefore, this optimization scheme optimizes S2 as follows: S21: After each aging test machine is started, it joins the multicast group determined by the preset UDP multicast address via the IGMP protocol. The purpose of this step is to resolve the "member registration" issue for the test machine in a multicast network. Its function is to proactively declare to the local area network switch that the machine wishes to receive data destined for a specific multicast address. Through the IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol), a management relationship is established between the test machine and the network routing device, enabling the network infrastructure to intelligently forward multicast traffic only to registered member ports, thereby avoiding broadcast flooding throughout the entire local area network and saving network bandwidth. The key point of this step is "joining via the IGMP protocol," a standard network operation initiated by the test machine's operating system network stack or application. Its core action is to send an IGMP Membership Report message to the router or Layer 3 switch of the local subnet, containing the target multicast address. During implementation, it is important to note that the multicast address must be within the agreed range (e.g., 239.xxx configured by the administrator), and all test machines and hosts must be consistent with this default setting. Furthermore, the test machine typically completes this operation automatically when starting its agent program, requiring no manual intervention. Overall, this step involves the test machine actively subscribing to multicast data streams at the network layer.

[0041] In practice, after initializing the network module, the agent program on the test machine calls the operating system's Socket API (e.g., using the setsockopt() function and the IP_ADD_MEMBERSHIP option in Linux) to join a multicast group. The system kernel then automatically handles the sending of IGMP packets. For example, the agent program can default to the multicast address 239.255.255.250 and port 8888. When the program performs the group joining operation, the host's network interface card sends an IGMP report to the network, informing the upstream switch: "This machine needs to receive data destined for 239.255.255.250." Afterward, when the controlling host sends a command to that address, the switch will forward the data packet to the port connected to the test machine.

[0042] S22: Each aging test unit listens to the multicast address and receives synchronization control commands.

[0043] The purpose of this step is to establish a continuous data listening channel between the transport and application layers after completing the network layer subscription. Its function is to ensure that the test machine can capture and obtain the complete content of synchronization control commands delivered via multicast in real time. The key to this step is "listening to the multicast address," which requires the agent program on the test machine to bind a UDPSocket to a preset multicast port and keep the socket in a blocking or non-blocking receive waiting state, ready to process arriving network packets at any time. It should be noted that the listening action is usually performed immediately after joining the multicast group and is a continuous background activity; in addition, the application needs to have the ability to read raw data from the socket buffer and parse it. Overall, this step is a process in which the test machine application passively waits for and receives multicast data.

[0044] In practice, after successfully joining the multicast group, the test machine's agent program puts the bound socket into a listening loop. For example, the program will repeatedly call recvfrom() or similar socket read functions. When the control host sends a data packet to the multicast address 239.255.255.250:8888, the network switch will send a copy of that data packet to all test machines that have joined the group. Each test machine's socket will receive the exact same data packet. The agent program then returns from the recvfrom() call and stores the received raw byte data in a buffer for later parsing into specific control commands (such as "Start Test", "Set Voltage to 12V", etc.).

[0045] This optimization scheme, by introducing S21 and S22, achieves automated and standardized management of multicast membership relationships. This not only ensures that synchronization control commands are accurately delivered to all target test machines, providing a solid network communication foundation for high-precision synchronization, but also effectively prevents the disorderly spread of multicast data in the local area network through intelligent management of network traffic via the IGMP protocol, significantly improving network utilization efficiency and enhancing the stability and manageability of the system under large-scale deployment.

[0046] After achieving efficient and synchronous command issuance, the system still needs to address the issues of status monitoring and data retrieval during the testing process. Without a unified and reliable data reporting mechanism, operators will be unable to monitor the real-time operating status of each test machine, obtain test results, or respond promptly to faults. Therefore, building an independent and reliable uplink data channel outside of the synchronous control flow is crucial. Thus, this optimization scheme adds the following steps after S1: S4: Controls the host to listen on a specific UDP port; The purpose of this step is to establish a unified and unique receiving endpoint for data reporting from all aging test machines. Its function is to provide a stable and known destination for the uplink data stream, ensuring that dispersed status information can be centrally collected and processed. The key point of this step is "listening on a specific UDP port," a network preparation action actively implemented by the control host. When the host's main control software starts, it initializes an independent UDP socket and binds it to a pre-agreed specific port (such as 9999) that does not conflict with other system services, and keeps this socket in a state of waiting to receive data packets. During implementation, it is important to ensure that this port number remains unique and consistent throughout the entire system and is distinguished from the multicast port used to send commands to avoid data stream interference. Essentially, this step is the control host acting as a server, establishing a network service to receive unidirectional data reports from multiple clients.

[0047] In practice, after initializing the multicast transmission socket, the master control software immediately creates another independent UDP socket and calls the bind() function to bind it to the local IP address (usually using INADDR_ANY or 0.0.0.0 to listen on all network interfaces) and the specified port. For example, the host creates a socket and binds it to 0.0.0.0:9999. Subsequently, the master control software starts an independent listening thread or adopts an asynchronous I / O model to wait on this socket to receive inbound data packets from any test machine. In this way, the host establishes a constantly open "data collection portal" for receiving status data.

[0048] S5: Each aging tester collects its own status data during the test process and sends the status data to the UDP port via UDP unicast.

[0049] The purpose of this step is to achieve distributed acquisition and centralized aggregation of test data. Its function is to promptly feed back the operating status and test results of each test machine to the control host through a reliable, point-to-point channel, providing data support for monitoring, display, and subsequent analysis. This step includes two key actions: "acquiring its own status data" and "sending via UDP unicast." The acquisition action is executed periodically or event-triggered by the agent program on the test machine, reading values ​​from connected sensors, ADC modules, or internal registers, such as current, voltage, temperature, operating status codes, or fault flags. "Sending via UDP unicast" requires the test machine to construct a temporary UDP socket, serialize the acquired data into data packets, and send them directly to the control host's IP address and the specific listening port mentioned above. UDP unicast is used instead of multicast for feedback because status data is independent information for each test machine and requires reliable delivery (as opposed to broadcast commands). Point-to-point transmission avoids unnecessary network traffic and facilitates the host's identification of the data source. This step is the process by which the test machine, as a client, actively reports its own information to a known server.

[0050] In practice, during testing, the test machine's agent program performs data acquisition periodically (e.g., once per second) or when specific events occur (e.g., triggering an alarm threshold). For example, the test machine reads that the current loop current is 1.5A, the device temperature is 65℃, and the status is "running." The agent program then encapsulates this data along with its own device ID into a JSON or custom binary format data packet. Next, the program creates a UDPSocket, and without needing a connection, directly calls the `sendto()` function to send the data packet to the host's IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100) and the specified port 9999. Because it's unicast, the network switch will accurately route this data packet to the host 192.168.1.100, and the host's listening socket will receive the data packet.

[0051] This optimization scheme introduces a status data reporting mechanism, constructing a stable and reliable data feedback channel parallel to the high-speed synchronous control channel. This bidirectional asynchronous communication model of downlink multicast and uplink unicast perfectly separates the control flow and data flow, enabling the system to achieve both perfect synchronization of control commands and reliable and orderly status monitoring and data collection. This not only provides operators with a global, real-time system view, making centralized monitoring and fault early warning possible, but also completes the system function upgrade from "one-way control" to "closed-loop monitoring," greatly improving the automation level and maintainability of the entire aging test system.

[0052] Having established a status data reporting channel, the system still needs to address the parsing and visualization of massive amounts of data. If the host only receives raw data packets without further processing, operators will be unable to intuitively understand the test progress, promptly detect anomalies, or perform data recording and analysis, rendering status reporting meaningless. Therefore, the reported data must be decoded and transformed into valuable monitoring information. Thus, this optimization scheme adds the following steps after S5: S6: The control host receives and parses the status data reported by each aging test machine, and performs centralized monitoring and display.

[0053] The purpose of this step is to elevate the raw byte data received from the network layer into valuable application-layer information. Its function is to transform scattered data points into global situational awareness, providing operators with a real-time, intuitive system monitoring interface, thereby enabling effective management and control of the entire test site. This step comprises three core actions: "reception," "parsing," and "centralized monitoring and display." "Reception" is a continuation of the listening action in step S4, where the host reads arriving UDP packets from a socket bound to a specific port. "Parsing" is the crucial data processing step; the host must extract the device ID, various parameter values ​​(such as voltage and current), and status flags (such as normal and alarm) from the data packets according to the application-layer data format agreed upon with the test equipment (such as JSON, XML, or a custom binary protocol). "Centralized monitoring and display" is the final information presentation; the host associates the parsed data with the corresponding test equipment identifier and dynamically updates it on a unified graphical user interface (GUI). During implementation, it is important to ensure that the parsing logic strictly corresponds to the data encapsulation logic on the test equipment side, and that the display interface clearly distinguishes the status of different devices, highlighting abnormal data (such as exceeding limits or faults). This step is the final processing flow where the host computer completes data collection, decoding, and information visualization.

[0054] Implementation Method 1 (Based on a Custom Binary Protocol): The host and the test machine agree on a compact binary data format. For example, the first 4 bytes of a data packet represent the device ID, and each subsequent 2 bytes represent a parameter (e.g., bytes 5-6 represent the voltage value, and bytes 7-8 represent the current value). After receiving the data packet, the host parses it according to the predefined byte offset and data type (e.g., a 16-bit big-endian integer), extracting "Voltage = 12000 (representing 12.000V)" and "Current = 500 (representing 0.500A)" for "Device 003". This method has high processing efficiency and low network load. Implementation Method 2 (Based on Text Protocols such as JSON): The test machine encapsulates status data into a JSON string, such as {"id":"Tester-05","v":12.0,"i":0.5,"status":"running","temp":65}. After receiving the data packet, the host uses a JSON parsing library to convert it into an in-memory data structure, thus easily retrieving the values ​​of each field in key-value pairs. This method has good readability and is easy to debug and extend. After successful data parsing, the main control software immediately updates the centralized monitoring interface. For example, in a table view or a set of virtual dashboards in the GUI, it locates the device entry identified as "Tester-05," updates its voltage value to 12.0V, its current value to 0.5A, and sets the status indicator light to green "Running." Simultaneously, the software can record historical data to form trend curves, or automatically pop up an alarm dialog box and log when parsing "status": "fault."

[0055] This optimization scheme, by introducing data processing and monitoring display steps, achieves a complete closed loop from underlying data communication to top-level information application. It transforms raw network packets into monitoring signals with clear engineering significance, providing operators with a global, real-time, and intuitive system operation dashboard. This not only significantly improves the observability and transparency of the testing process, enabling immediate fault detection and location, but also lays a solid foundation for the recording, analysis, and subsequent report generation of test data, thereby comprehensively enhancing the intelligence level and operational efficiency of aging test management.

[0056] While utilizing lightweight communication protocols to achieve efficient synchronization control, it's crucial to acknowledge their inherent reliability limitations. Due to potential network congestion or packet loss, if some test machines fail to initiate testing after the host sends a synchronization command, it will result in incomplete test batches, impacting the overall effectiveness and consistency of the test process. Therefore, while pursuing low latency and high synchronization, introducing a targeted reliability enhancement mechanism is necessary. Thus, this optimization scheme adds the following steps after S3: S7: If the control host does not receive confirmation or status response from one or more aging test machines for the synchronization control command within the predetermined time, it will resend the synchronization control command to one or more aging test machines via UDP unicast.

[0057] The purpose of this step is to provide a lightweight fault-tolerance mechanism beyond the basic synchronization mechanism. Its function is to compensate for the potential loss of individual instructions due to network fluctuations without severely impacting overall synchronization performance or increasing infrastructure complexity, thus ensuring the final validity of system instructions. The key points of this step are three core components: "no reception within a predetermined time," "acknowledgment or status response," and "retransmission via UDP unicast." "No reception within a predetermined time" requires the host to start one or more timers after issuing the multicast instruction and monitor feedback from each test machine. This predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds) needs to be reasonably set based on the network environment and system response speed. "Acknowledgment or status response" is the criterion for triggering retransmission. It can be a simple acknowledgment (ACK) packet immediately replied by the test machine after receiving the instruction, or the first status data packet reported after the start of the test, as defined in step S5. "Retransmission via UDP unicast" is an error correction action; it performs point-to-point retransmission for specific unresponsive nodes, avoiding unnecessary interference to all devices caused by reusing multicast. Overall, this step is a targeted remedial process initiated by the control host when it detects that an instruction may not have reached a specific node.

[0058] Implementation Method 1 (Based on Explicit Acknowledgment ACK): After successfully receiving and parsing the synchronization control command in step S3, the test machine immediately sends a short UDP acknowledgment packet containing its own device ID to a specific port of the control host (which can be the same as the status reporting port) before or after executing the operation. The host maintains a waiting state for each test machine. If an ACK packet is not received from a device within a predetermined time, it is determined that the device command was lost, and the host resends the synchronization control command to the device's IP address via UDP unicast. Implementation Method 2 (Based on the First Status Data Packet): The host considers the first status data packet reported by the test machine in step S5 as an implicit acknowledgment of the command. For example, after the host issues a "Start Test" command, it expects each test machine to start reporting real-time data such as voltage and current within a few seconds. If a test machine fails to report any data after a predetermined time, the host determines that it has not started successfully and resends the "Start Test" command to it via UDP unicast. This method eliminates the need for the test machine to send additional ACK packets, further reducing network load.

[0059] This optimization scheme, by introducing a selective retransmission mechanism, cleverly compensates for the shortcomings in transmission reliability of the UDP protocol while retaining its core advantages of being lightweight, efficient, and low-latency. This design allows the system to achieve a graceful balance between efficiency and robustness without sacrificing synchronization performance or introducing complex protocol stacks in pursuit of absolute reliability. It ensures that in the event of occasional network anomalies, all test machines eventually enter a consistent test state, guaranteeing the integrity of the test batch and the reliability of the test results. Thus, without significantly increasing system complexity or cost, it greatly improves the practicality and reliability of the entire synchronization control system.

[0060] Before multicasting synchronous control commands, the system needs to define the specific content of the commands. Without a unified and standardized parameter configuration and encapsulation process, operators will have to rely on manual or decentralized methods to set up each test machine, which is not only inefficient but also fails to guarantee the consistency of test conditions, rendering synchronous tests incomparable. Therefore, a centralized test task definition and command generation process is the logical starting point for ensuring the coordinated operation of the entire system. Therefore, this optimization scheme adds the following steps before S1: S0: Configure test task parameters and encapsulate the test task parameters in synchronous control instructions.

[0061] The purpose of this step is to centralize and standardize the definition of test tasks. Its function is to transform manual operational intentions into standardized data blocks that can be recognized and transmitted by machines, ensuring that all test machines adhere to completely consistent test conditions (such as voltage, current, and duration) during execution, thus eliminating test result deviations caused by inconsistent parameters at the source. The core of this step lies in two actions: "configuration" and "encapsulation." "Configuring test task parameters" refers to the user setting or selecting specific indicators required for the test through the human-machine interface (such as a GUI) on the control host. These parameters constitute the logical core of the test task. "Encapsulation" involves serializing the structured parameter data into a complete byte stream data packet according to a predefined application layer protocol format that all test machines can correctly parse. This data packet becomes the "synchronization control command" to be multicast subsequently. During implementation, it is important to ensure that the parameter configuration interface is intuitive and covers all necessary test variables, and that the encapsulation format remains strictly consistent between the host and all test machines; this is a prerequisite for the correct parsing of the command. Overall, this step is the preparation and conversion process from user-defined test tasks to the generation of standardized network commands.

[0062] Implementation Method 1 (Direct Configuration via Graphical Interface): Operators directly set test parameters on the control host software interface via form filling or drop-down menu selection. For example, setting "Starting Voltage: 12.0V", "Stop Current: 1.0A", "Test Duration: 24 hours", and "Sampling Interval: 1 second" in the corresponding input boxes. After configuration, the user clicks the "Generate Task" button or a similar button, and the main control software then serializes these parameters along with the instruction type (such as "Start Test") according to a custom binary or text protocol (such as JSON) to form a complete synchronous control instruction data packet. Implementation Method 2 (Importing Pre-set Test Template Files): The main control software supports loading pre-edited test task configuration files (such as XML or JSON files). This file defines various test parameters in detail. Users simply select the corresponding template file and load it; the software reads the file content, parses it, and encapsulates it into a synchronous control instruction data packet compatible with network transmission. This method is suitable for scenarios requiring repeated execution of standardized test tasks, improving operational accuracy and efficiency.

[0063] This optimization scheme, by introducing task configuration and instruction encapsulation steps, centralizes test parameter management and standardizes instruction content. It transforms the previously fragmented and error-prone manual setup process into a one-time, precise central configuration, ensuring uniformity of system parameters from the instruction source. This not only provides a completely consistent test benchmark for all test machines, fundamentally guaranteeing the comparability and fairness of test results, but also greatly simplifies the operation process, improves the efficiency and reliability of the test preparation phase, and is a crucial prerequisite for achieving high-quality, reproducible synchronous aging tests. Example

[0064] An embodiment of the present invention provides an aging tester network synchronization system, comprising: A control host and multiple aging test machines are connected to the same local area network. The control host is configured to generate synchronization control commands and send them simultaneously to all aging test machines in the local area network through a lightweight one-to-many communication protocol. Each aging test machine is configured to listen to a preset communication address, receive synchronization control commands, and execute test operations according to the synchronization control commands.

[0065] Specifically, the system consists of two core modules: a control host and an aging test machine. All devices are connected to the same local area network (LAN) through a network switch, forming a distributed test network. The following describes the input and output, data processing, and inter-module collaboration of each module. The control host module receives input from user interaction or preset configuration files, such as test parameters (e.g., voltage values, current curves, test duration) input by operators through a graphical user interface (GUI) or XML / JSON format task templates loaded from the local disk. During data processing, the main control software running on the control host first parses these inputs, serializing the test task parameters into structured synchronous control command data packets. These packets follow lightweight application layer protocols (e.g., custom binary formats or JSON). Subsequently, the host initializes network sockets and sends the command data packets to a preset network address (e.g., multicast address 239.255.255.250:8888) based on a one-to-many communication protocol (e.g., UDP multicast or broadcast). Its output is a UDP data packet sent through the network interface card, which is copied by the LAN switch and distributed to all devices subscribed to that address. The core function of the control host module is to translate user intentions into standardized network commands and achieve efficient, synchronous downlink communication, providing a unified control source for the system. The aging test machine module receives synchronous control command data packets from the local area network (LAN) and real-time status data (such as voltage, current, and temperature) collected by local sensors during the test. During data processing, the agent program running on each test machine continuously listens to a preset communication address (such as a multicast address or broadcast port). After receiving data packets through the operating system's network stack, it immediately parses their content to extract control commands and parameters (such as "start test" and "set voltage"). Subsequently, the test machine calls the underlying hardware interface (such as GPIO, DAC, or communication bus) to execute test operations, such as controlling the power switch or configuring the electronic load. Simultaneously, the test machine periodically collects its own status data and encapsulates it into data packets, sending them to a specific port on the control host via UDP unicast. Its output includes the execution of test actions (such as power-on) and the reporting of status data packets. The core function of this module is to achieve local execution of commands and status feedback, ensuring the synchronization of test operations and the monitorability of data. The modules follow a typical master-slave collaborative model. The control host acts as the command initiator and data aggregation point, while the aging test machines act as the command executors and data acquisition points. They communicate bidirectionally and asynchronously via a local area network. Downlink, the control host broadcasts commands using a one-to-many protocol, ensuring that all test machines receive and respond almost simultaneously. Uplink, the test machines use point-to-point unicast to report their status, guaranteeing reliable data transmission. This separation of control and data flows allows the system to maintain high synchronization accuracy while organically combining centralized monitoring with distributed execution, thereby improving overall testing efficiency and reliability. Example

[0066] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the aging test machine network synchronization method of Embodiment 1. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium capable of being stored by a computing device, or a data storage device such as a data center containing one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., high-density digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives). The computer-readable storage medium includes instructions that direct the computing device to execute any of the aging test machine network synchronization methods provided in Embodiment 1. Example

[0067] This invention also provides an electronic device, including a memory and a processor, i.e., a computer program stored in the memory; The processor executes a computer program to implement the aging test machine network synchronization method in Embodiment 1.

[0068] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, other working processes of the method described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0069] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware, and of course, it can also be implemented by special-purpose hardware including application-specific integrated circuits, special-purpose CPUs, special-purpose memory, special-purpose components, etc. Generally, any function performed by a computer program can be easily implemented by corresponding hardware, and the specific hardware structure used to implement the same function can also be diverse, such as analog circuits, digital circuits, or special-purpose circuits. However, for this application, software program implementation is more often a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a readable storage medium, such as a computer floppy disk, USB flash drive, mobile hard disk, ROM, RAM, magnetic disk, or optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, training equipment, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods of the various embodiments of this application.

[0070] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product.

[0071] A computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer instructions may be transmitted from one website, computer, training device, or data center to another website, computer, training device, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can store or a data storage device such as a training device or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives (SSDs)).

[0072] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An aging test machine network synchronization method, characterized in that, Applied to a system comprising one control host and multiple aging test machines accessing the same local area network, comprising: S1: the control host generates a synchronization control instruction and sends the synchronization control instruction to all aging test machines in the local area network through a one-to-many communication protocol; S2: each aging test machine listens to a preset communication address and receives the synchronization control instruction; S3: the aging test machine executes a test operation according to the synchronization control instruction.

2. The network synchronization method of claim 1, wherein: The one-to-many communication protocol is UDP multicast, UDP broadcast, QUIC protocol or WebSocket protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein S2 Comprising: S21: each aging test machine starts and joins a multicast group determined by a preset UDP multicast address through an IGMP protocol; S22: each aging test machine listens to the multicast address and receives the synchronization control instruction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, S1 further comprises: S4: the control host listens to a specific UDP port; S5: each aging test machine collects its own state data during the test process and sends the state data to the UDP port through UDP unicast.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, S5 further comprises: S6: the control host receives and parses the state data reported by each aging test machine and performs centralized monitoring and display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, S3 further comprises: S7: if the control host does not receive the confirmation or state response of the synchronization control instruction from one or more aging test machines within a predetermined time, the control host re-sends the synchronization control instruction to the one or more aging test machines through UDP unicast.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, S1 further comprises: S0: configure test task parameters and encapsulate the test task parameters in the synchronization control instruction.

8. An aging test machine gang synchronization system, comprising: For executing the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: One control host and multiple aging test machines accessing the same local area network; The control host is configured to generate a synchronization control instruction and send the synchronization control instruction to all aging test machines in the local area network through a lightweight one-to-many communication protocol; Each aging test machine is configured to listen to a preset communication address, receive the synchronization control instruction, and execute a test operation according to the synchronization control instruction.

9. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor and a computer program stored on the memory, characterized in that: The processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the network synchronization method of the aging test machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that: The computer program is executed by the processor to implement the steps of the network synchronization method of the aging test machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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