Rapid online test system suitable for VPX bus

Abstract

The invention relates to a rapid online testing system suitable for a VPX bus, and belongs to the technical field of communication equipment testing. According to the online testing system, the troubleshooting process is simplified, the fault site is reserved to the maximum extent, the online testing system is directly inserted into fault equipment in a live-line mode, power supply, slot position information, an IPMB bus and the like of the whole machine equipment can be tested through the system, faults can be rapidly positioned, and the testing efficiency and accuracy are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of communication equipment testing technology, and specifically relates to a rapid online testing system suitable for VPX bus. Background Technology

[0002] With the advent of the information age, the requirements for the versatility and high performance of weapons and equipment are becoming increasingly stringent. As one of the main communication buses for weapons and equipment, the VPX bus is widely used in communication equipment.

[0003] Communication devices using a bus architecture (such as multi-unit servers) typically employ a multi-unit blade design. This application scenario requires the device to be secure and stable, with long continuous operating time, zero downtime probability, zero failure rate, convenient operation and maintenance, and rapid troubleshooting. Under these design requirements, each blade unit is installed within the main unit, interconnected via the backplane, and external functional interfaces are brought out through the rear panel. Typically, standard 3U and 6U chassis are at least 160mm deep, making troubleshooting and testing of the entire system very inconvenient. Traditional testing methods require disassembling the chassis, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and makes it impossible to perform on-site testing and troubleshooting of the entire system. Therefore, it is essential to design a rapid online testing system suitable for the VPX bus. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved The technical problem to be solved by this invention is: to design a rapid online testing system suitable for VPX bus, so as to solve the problem of rapid testing, troubleshooting and online diagnostic analysis of complete equipment using VPX bus architecture.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a rapid online testing system suitable for the VPX bus, comprising an MCU circuit, a display control circuit, and a VPX interface. The testing system connects to the device under test (DUT) via the VPX interface. By inserting the testing system into the DUT, the VPX bus of the DUT can be tested and diagnosed. The MCU circuit is used for fault testing and diagnosis and provides corresponding test results. Specifically, it is used for IPMB bus testing, power supply voltage detection, and slot information reading. After the test data is processed, the test results are displayed through the display control circuit. The display control circuit includes two red eight-segment LED displays, one double-row green LED, and one touch button. The double-row green LED indicates the operating status of the test system itself. One indicator light on the double-row green LED is a status indicator, indicating whether the MCU circuit is working properly; it flashes when the test system is working normally. The other indicator light is a power indicator, indicating the power supply to the test system; it stays on when the power supply is normal and turns off when there is an abnormality. The two red eight-segment LED displays display the test results, including slot information, power supply voltage, and IPMB bus operation status. The touch button switches between different test modes to display different information. The red eight-segment LED displays default to displaying slot information. By pressing the touch button, the mode can be switched to display power supply voltage and IPMB bus communication information. (III) Beneficial Effects In existing technologies, troubleshooting a faulty device requires disassembling the entire device, a complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive process that necessitates the assistance of a professional structural engineer. Furthermore, this disassembly process may damage the original fault location, hindering troubleshooting and testing. This invention proposes a rapid online testing system suitable for the VPX bus. Compared to existing technologies, this invention simplifies the troubleshooting process while preserving the fault location to the greatest extent possible. The online testing system is directly plugged into the faulty device while it is powered on. This system enables testing of the device's power supply, slot information, IPMB bus, and other components, quickly locating the fault and improving testing efficiency and accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0006] Figure 1 This is a structural model diagram of the actual application of the present invention in a complete machine device; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the testing system implementation framework of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the meaning of the digital tube display in this invention; Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the principle of the testing system of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional model diagram of the present invention (excluding structure); Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional model diagram (including structure) of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a definition diagram of the VPX connector of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0007] To make the objectives, contents, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0008] This invention proposes a rapid online testing system suitable for the VPX bus. The online testing system adopts a standard 3U board structure with dimensions of 100mm × 160mm and a board thickness of 5HP. The testing system supports hot-swapping and interconnects with the backplane of the main device via a VPX connector interface. The testing system is designed with two angleless guide sleeves that work in conjunction with the positioning pins on the backplane of the main device to prevent incorrect insertion. The front panel of the testing system features one dual-row green LED, two red eight-segment displays, and one tactile button.

[0009] The online testing system features a dual-row green LED on its front panel to indicate the system's operational status. One LED indicates the system's working condition and flashes when operating normally. The other LED is the power indicator, remaining constantly lit when the power supply is normal and turning off when there is an abnormality. Two red eight-segment displays show the test results, including slot information, power supply voltage, and IPMB bus status. A touch button allows users to switch between different test modes to access different information.

[0010] This invention presents a rapid online testing system suitable for the VPX bus, applicable to various shipborne, vehicle-mounted, and airborne 3U or 6U computer or server devices designed with the VPX bus architecture. The system is used when a complete device malfunctions; it can be hot-swapped and installed into the faulty device to perform testing and locate the fault. An application scenario model diagram is shown below. Figure 1 As shown.

[0011] This invention provides a rapid online test system for the VPX bus, which is a standard 3U board with a thickness of 5HP. It includes a microprocessor (MCU) circuit, a display control circuit, and a VPX interface. By inserting the test system into the device under test (DUT), it can perform testing and diagnostics on the DUT's VPX bus. The system implementation block diagram is shown below. Figure 2 As shown.

[0012] The MCU circuit, as the core component of the test system, is used for fault testing and diagnosis and to provide corresponding test results. The MCU circuit is mainly used for IPMB bus testing, power supply voltage detection, and slot information reading. After internal processing, the test results are displayed by lighting up a digital tube.

[0013] The display control circuit includes two red eight-segment LED displays, one double-row green LED display, and one touch button. The LED displays are used to display test results. One eight-segment LED display can show 36 states of characters 0-9 and A-Z. The meaning of different display states can be defined according to usage requirements. The meaning of the LED display display is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, a dual-row green LED is used to indicate the operating status of the test system. One LED is a power indicator, indicating the power supply to the test system, and the other is a status indicator, indicating whether the MCU is working properly. A touch button is used to switch between different test contents. The digital tube displays slot information by default. By pressing the touch switch, the trigger mode can be switched to display power supply voltage value and IPMB bus communication status information.

[0014] The VPX interface serves as the connection medium between the test system and the device under test. The test system adopts a standard 3U structure, and its VPX connector conforms to the standard definition, detailed in the appendix. Figure 7 The device under test is a standard 3U or 6U chassis. The test system can be inserted into the corresponding slot of the chassis while powered on for testing. The test system is designed with a guide structure to cooperate with the chassis back panel to prevent misalignment and damage to the device. See the test system structural model below. Figure 6 As shown.

[0015] Furthermore, the test mode can be switched via the buttons on the front panel of the test system to test different indicators of the device under test. The test system supports three test modes: voltage test mode, IPMB bus test mode, and slot information test mode. The test system defaults to performing a voltage test on the device under test and displays the tested voltage value on the front panel digital tube. It switches between displaying the measured voltage values ​​of the 12V, 5V, and 3.3V power networks every 2 seconds. For the 12V voltage network, the test result is displayed with only two integers when it exceeds 10V and one decimal place when it is below 10V; the test results of the 5V and 3.3V power networks are displayed with one decimal place.

[0016] Furthermore, by lightly touching the front panel button, the MCU is triggered to switch modes, switching the test mode to the IPMB bus test mode. The microcontroller tests the entire device through the IPMB bus of the VPX connector P0. The MCU's IPMB interface performs data packet sending tests on the IPMB bus of the device under test, and the results are displayed on the front panel digital tube of the test system. The test result is "OK" or "ERROR".

[0017] Furthermore, by switching to the slot information test mode via a touch button on the front panel, the microcontroller tests the slot information of the entire device through the VPX connector P0. In the VPX standard, the signals for slot information are defined as GA0~GA4, and there are 25 programmable slot numbers. The test system displays the read slot information through the digital tube on the front panel of the test system. The test result is the slot information of the currently tested slot. By changing to different slots of the tested device, the slot information of different slots can be read.

[0018] The online testing system adopts a standard 3U board structure with an external size of 100mm×160mm and a board thickness of 5HP. The system provides a standard VPX P0 interface as the system input terminal. The device under test is connected to the testing system through the VPX P0 interface. The internal signals of the system include two IPMB buses, a power interface, and a slot identification signal. The external human-machine interface components provided by the system include: one double-row green light-emitting diode, two red eight-segment digital tubes, and one touch button.

[0019] The system's structure is compatible with testing 6U-structured complete devices under test and supports hot-swappable operation. The system's human-machine interface components adopt a window design, with windows exposed on the front panel of the system's structural components, facilitating operation and observation of test results by test personnel.

[0020] The touch button on the front panel of the system is used to switch test modes. The touch button on the front panel of the system is connected to the internal microcontroller (MCU). The microcontroller can be triggered by pressing the touch button externally to switch test modes. The switchable modes include voltage test mode, IPMB bus test mode, and slot information test mode.

[0021] The voltage test mode of the system is as follows: switch to voltage test mode by touching the button on the front panel. The microcontroller measures the voltage supplied by the device under test through the P0 interface of the VPX connector and displays the output through the digital tube on the front panel of the system. The test voltage includes 12V, 5V and 3.3V, and the results displayed on the digital tube are "12", "5.0" and "3.3".

[0022] The IPMB bus test mode of the system is as follows: switch to IPMB bus test mode by pressing the button on the front panel. The microcontroller tests the device under test through the IPMB bus of P0 of the VPX connector and displays the output through the digital tube on the front panel of the system. The test result is "OK" or "ERROR" and the digital tube displays the result accordingly.

[0023] The slot information testing mode of the system is as follows: the slot information testing mode is switched by a light touch button on the front panel. The microcontroller tests the slot information of the device under test through the P0 of the VPX connector and displays the result on the digital tube on the front panel of the testing system. The test result is the slot information of the current slot under test, and the digital tube displays the result accordingly.

[0024] The system incorporates hot-swappable circuits at the power input, IPMB interface, and slot identification signal to ensure that online testing does not affect the normal operation of other blades in the entire device.

[0025] As can be seen, this invention proposes a rapid online testing system suitable for the VPX bus. In existing technologies, when a complete device malfunctions and requires troubleshooting, the entire device must first be disassembled, a complex process requiring a professional structural engineer. Secondly, only after disassembly can the faulty backplane be removed and installed in other testing equipment for troubleshooting and testing. This invention simplifies these procedures. By using an online testing system, it enables rapid troubleshooting and online debugging of faulty motherboards without disassembly or with minimal disassembly of components.

[0026] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rapid online testing system suitable for VPX bus, characterized in that, Includes MCU circuitry, display control circuitry, and a VPX interface. The test system connects to the device under test (DUT) via the VPX interface. By inserting the test system into the DUT, the VPX bus of the DUT can be tested and diagnosed. The MCU circuit is used for fault testing and diagnosis and provides corresponding test results. Specifically, it is used for IPMB bus testing, power supply voltage detection, and slot information reading. After the test data is processed, the test results are displayed through the display control circuit. The display control circuit includes two red eight-segment LED displays, one double-row green LED, and one touch button. The double-row green LED indicates the operating status of the test system itself. One indicator light on the double-row green LED is a status indicator, indicating whether the MCU circuit is working properly; it flashes when the test system is working normally. The other indicator light is a power indicator, indicating the power supply to the test system; it stays on when the power supply is normal and turns off when there is an abnormality. The two red eight-segment LED displays display the test results, including slot information, power supply voltage, and IPMB bus operation status. The touch button switches between different test modes to display different information. The red eight-segment LED displays default to displaying slot information. By pressing the touch button, the mode can be switched to display power supply voltage and IPMB bus communication information.

2. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The touch button is connected to the MCU circuit. The touch button triggers the MCU circuit to switch modes. The switching modes include three types: voltage test mode, IPMB bus test mode, and slot information test mode. By switching to voltage test mode by touching the button, the MCU circuit measures the voltage supplied by the device under test through the P0 interface of the VPX connector and displays the output through the system's red eight-segment digital tube. Switch the test mode to IPMB bus test mode. The MCU circuit tests the device under test through the IPMB bus of the VPX connector P0. The IPMB interface of the MCU circuit sends data packets to the IPMB bus of the device under test and displays the output through the red eight-segment display of the test system. By tapping a button to switch to the slot information test mode, the MCU circuit tests the slot information of the device under test through the VPX connector P0. The test system displays the read slot information through the red eight-segment digital tube of the test system. The test result is the slot information of the current slot under test. By changing the slot of different devices under test, the slot information of different slots can be read.

3. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The testing system can be inserted into the corresponding slot of the device under test while energized for testing, and the testing system is designed with a guide structure that can cooperate with the back plate of the device under test.

4. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The system adopts a standard 3U board structure.

5. The system as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The system measures 100mm × 160mm and has a board thickness of 5HP.

6. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The system supports hot-swapping.

7. The system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, This system is used in the testing of communication equipment.

8. A method of operating the system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The device under test is a shipborne, vehicle-mounted, or airborne computer or server designed with a VPX bus architecture.

10. The method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, This method is applied in the testing of communication equipment.

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