Ethernet interface automatic testing device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses an Ethernet interface automatic testing device and method. The Ethernet interface automatic testing device comprises a base, a moving assembly, a mechanical arm assembly, a testing clamp, an oscilloscope, a base table, a testing short network cable and a controller. A moving assembly and a mechanical arm assembly are arranged at the upper end of the base, and a testing clamp is arranged on the moving assembly in a sliding mode; a base station is arranged on one side, close to the mechanical arm assembly, of the base, and a plurality of test short network cables are placed on the base station at intervals; the test clamp is electrically connected with a product to be tested through the test short network cable, and the test clamp is electrically connected with the oscilloscope through a connection cable. According to the invention, the mechanical arm assembly sequentially clamps each test short network cable to connect the to-be-tested product and the test clamp, thereby achieving the automatic test of the Ethernet interface, reducing the labor cost, meeting the demands of batch tests, reducing the signal transmission distance through employing the short network cables, and improving the reliability of test signals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated testing technology, and in particular to an automated testing device and method for Ethernet interfaces. Background Technology

[0002] Ethernet test fixtures are auxiliary devices for performing Ethernet signal compliance tests on products under test (DUTs) equipped with Ethernet interfaces. Testers manually connect the DUTs to the Ethernet test fixture using test cables to perform Ethernet signal compliance tests. However, this method relies on manual operation for each test and requires frequent plugging and unplugging of the cable harness, resulting in low efficiency.

[0003] At the same time, the impact of the test cable length on Ethernet signal conformance testing needs to be considered. Existing Ethernet signal conformance testing generally does not take into account the impact of the test cable length.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new automated testing device and method for Ethernet interfaces. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention is proposed to provide an automated testing apparatus and method for Ethernet interfaces that overcomes or at least partially solves the above problems.

[0006] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part by practice of the invention.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces is provided, comprising: a base, a moving component, a robotic arm component, a test fixture, an oscilloscope, a base plate, short test cables, and a controller; the moving component and the robotic arm component are disposed on the upper end of the base, and the test fixture is slidably disposed on the moving component; the base plate is disposed on the side of the base near the robotic arm component, and a plurality of short test cables are placed at intervals on the base plate; the test fixture is electrically connected to the product under test via the short test cables, and the test fixture is electrically connected to the oscilloscope via connecting cables; the oscilloscope, the robotic arm component, and the test fixture are respectively electrically connected to the controller.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the moving component is two parallel guide rails, and the test fixture is provided with a movable part corresponding to the position of the guide rails. The movable part is movably disposed on the guide rails, and the movable part is a sliding block or a roller.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the length of the test short network cable is 5-15cm.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the test short network cable includes four different wiring sequences.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the test short network cable is provided with an identifier, which is one or more combinations of colors, text, or patterns.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the base is a stepped structure, the number of steps of the base matches the number of test short network cables, and one test short network cable is placed on each step of the base.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the steps of the base are further provided with a placement groove for placing the test short network cable.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the width of the placement groove is greater than the diameter of the test short network cable, and the placement groove is an arc-shaped groove or a rectangular groove.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the Ethernet interface automated testing device is further provided with a test fixture, on which the product under test is placed, and the test fixture is provided with a limiting component surrounding the outside of the product under test.

[0016] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an automated testing method for Ethernet interfaces is provided, comprising the following steps: Multiple network cables to be tested are placed sequentially on the steps of the base, with one network cable to be tested placed on each step; The position of the test fixture on the moving component is adjusted by the controller so that the distance between the test fixture and the product under test does not exceed the length of the network cable under test; After receiving the control signal from the controller, the robotic arm assembly is activated. The robotic arm assembly clamps one of the network cables to be tested and connects it to the test fixture and the product under test respectively to complete the Ethernet interface test. The test results are acquired in real time using an oscilloscope. After the test is completed, the current network cable under test is clamped and reset by the robotic arm assembly, and the remaining network cables under test are tested in sequence using Ethernet interface testing.

[0017] The technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following technical effects or advantages: The Ethernet interface automated testing device described in this embodiment of the invention uses a robotic arm assembly to sequentially grip and connect the product under test (DUT) and the test fixture to achieve automated testing of the Ethernet interface. Simultaneously, in conjunction with the oscilloscope and controller, it enables automated control of each component and intuitive monitoring of test results, reducing labor costs and making it suitable for batch testing needs. Furthermore, using short network cables for Ethernet signal consistency testing reduces signal transmission distance and improves the reliability of the test signal.

[0018] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments 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.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of an automated Ethernet interface testing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an automated testing method for Ethernet interfaces provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Base; 2. Moving component; 3. Robotic arm component; 4. Test fixture; 5. Oscilloscope; 6. Test jig; 7. Product under test; 8. Base plate; 9. Placement slot; 10. Test short network cable; 11. Connecting cable; 12. Controller; 13. Limiting component. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Exemplary embodiments of this application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] The accompanying drawings illustrate various structural schematics according to embodiments of this application. These drawings are not to scale, and some details have been enlarged for clarity, and some details may have been omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the drawings, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate from reality due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0024] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application can be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the first element from the second element. The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in this application, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The term "multiple" used in this application refers to two or more. In the context of this application, similar or identical parts may be represented by the same or similar reference numerals.

[0025] To better understand the above technical solutions, the following will describe the above technical solutions in detail with reference to specific implementation methods. It should be understood that the embodiments of this application and the specific features in the embodiments are detailed descriptions of the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than limitations on the technical solutions of the present invention. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the technical features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0026] Unless otherwise specified, all raw materials, instruments and equipment used in this invention can be purchased from the market or prepared by existing methods.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of an automated Ethernet interface testing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, the automated Ethernet interface testing device includes: a base 1, a moving component 2, a robotic arm component 3, a test fixture 4, an oscilloscope 5, a base plate 8, test short network cables 10, and a controller 12. The base 1 is placed on a horizontal surface and provides physical support for the various components on it. The moving component 2 and the robotic arm component 3 are located on the upper end of the base 1. The test fixture 4 is slidably mounted on the moving component 2. The test fixture 4 is electrically connected to the product under test 7 via the test short network cables 10. The test fixture 4 is electrically connected to the oscilloscope 5 via a connecting cable 11 (such as a coaxial cable or a probe). The base plate 8 is located on the side of the base 1 near the robotic arm component 3. Multiple test short network cables 10 are placed at intervals on the base plate 8. The oscilloscope 5, the robotic arm component 3, and the test fixture 4 are all electrically connected to the controller 12.

[0028] The robotic arm assembly 3 is used to clamp any of the test short network cables 10 on the base 8 according to the control signal of the controller 12, and connect the test short network cable 10 to the product under test 7 for Ethernet interface testing. The test data results are acquired by the oscilloscope 5 and fed back to the controller 12. The test fixture 4 has a built-in drive component (not shown) and communicates with the controller 12. The drive component may include, for example, a drive motor and a communication sensor. After receiving the control signal from the controller 12, the test fixture 4 moves on the moving assembly 2 under the drive of the drive component, thereby controlling the distance between the test fixture 4 and the product under test 7 to meet the connection requirements of the test short network cable 10.

[0029] In this embodiment of the invention, the moving component 2 consists of two parallel guide rails, and the test fixture 4 is provided with a movable part corresponding to the position of the guide rails. The movable part is movably disposed on the guide rails and is a sliding block or a roller. The movable part is connected to the driving component for transmission, so that it moves linearly along the extension direction of the guide rails under the drive of the driving component.

[0030] In this embodiment of the invention, the robotic arm assembly 3 is fixedly disposed on the upper end of the base 1. The robotic arm assembly 3 is a conventional multi-degree-of-freedom (such as six-degree-of-freedom) robotic arm robot, which can accurately identify and clamp the target, namely the test short network cable 10, through visual detection technology. In other embodiments of the invention, the robotic arm assembly 3 can also be movably disposed on the movable assembly 2, and can be adaptively moved in different application scenarios to adjust the position of the clamped target, thereby improving applicability.

[0031] In this embodiment of the invention, the length of the test short network cable 10 is 5~15cm; the test short network cable 10 includes four different wiring sequences. Specifically, each test short network cable 10 includes four pairs of network cables. For each wiring sequence of the test short network cable 10, one pair of network cables to be tested is placed in the test position (the positions of the remaining three pairs of network cables do not affect the test) and connected to the test fixture 4 and the product under test 7 respectively, thereby forming four different wiring sequences of the test short network cable 10.

[0032] In other embodiments of the present invention, in order to facilitate the robotic arm assembly 3 to identify the test short network cable 10 with different wiring sequences, the test short network cable 10 is provided with an identifier, which is one or more combinations of color, text or pattern.

[0033] To facilitate the gripping of the test short network cable 10 by the robotic arm assembly 3, the base 8 has a stepped structure. The number of steps on the base 8 matches the number of test short network cables 10. One test short network cable 10 is placed on each step of the base 8. Since the different step heights are different, the robotic arm assembly 3 will not affect the other test short network cables 10 when gripping any one of them, thus improving testing efficiency.

[0034] The platform 8 may also be provided with a placement groove 9 for placing the test short network cable. The width of the placement groove 9 is greater than the diameter of the test short network cable 10. The placement groove 9 is an arc-shaped groove or a rectangular groove, which is used to limit the test short network cable 10 and also to provide positioning when the robotic arm assembly 3 resets after the corresponding test short network cable 10 has been tested.

[0035] In this embodiment of the invention, the controller 12 is, for example, a host computer device such as a computer or server device configured with control software.

[0036] The Ethernet interface automated testing device can also be equipped with a test fixture 6 for supporting the product under test 7. The product under test 7 is placed on the test fixture 6, which can provide physical support for the product under test 7. In some embodiments, the test fixture 6 can also be configured with components such as casters to achieve displacement. In conjunction with the moving component 2, the applicability to different application scenarios during the testing process can be improved.

[0037] The test fixture 6 is provided with a limiting component 13 surrounding the outside of the product under test 7. The limiting component 13 is used to limit the product under test 7 to avoid the product under test 7 from shifting during the test, thereby affecting the accuracy of the test results. The limiting component 13 can be, for example, a limiting plate or a limiting rod, which can be determined according to the actual application requirements. This embodiment of the invention does not limit this.

[0038] The Ethernet interface automated testing device described in this embodiment of the invention uses the robotic arm assembly 3 to sequentially clamp each short test network cable 10 to connect the product under test 7 and the test fixture 4, thereby realizing automated testing of the Ethernet interface. Simultaneously, in conjunction with the oscilloscope 5 and controller 12, it enables automated control of each component and intuitive monitoring of test results, reducing labor costs and making it suitable for batch testing needs. Furthermore, the use of short network cables for Ethernet signal consistency testing reduces signal transmission distance and improves the reliability of the test signal.

[0039] Based on the above embodiments, as a supplement to the above... Figure 1The implementation of the device shown in this invention provides an embodiment of an automated testing method for Ethernet interfaces. See reference [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 As shown, the automated testing method for Ethernet interfaces includes the following steps: S1. Place multiple network cables to be tested sequentially on the steps of the base 8, with one network cable to be tested placed on each step; S2. Adjust the position of the test fixture 4 on the moving component 2 by the controller 12, so that the distance between the test fixture 4 and the product under test 7 does not exceed the length of the network cable under test; S3. After receiving the control signal from the controller 12, start the robotic arm assembly 3, clamp one of the network cables to be tested through the robotic arm assembly 3 and connect it to the test fixture 4 and the product under test 7 respectively to complete the Ethernet interface test. S4. The test results are obtained in real time through the oscilloscope 5. After the test is completed, the current network cable to be tested is clamped and reset by the robotic arm assembly 3, and the remaining network cables to be tested are tested in sequence.

[0040] The Ethernet interface automated testing device described in the above embodiments can execute the Ethernet interface automated testing method provided in the embodiments of the present invention. The Ethernet interface automated testing method has the corresponding functional components and beneficial effects of the Ethernet interface automated testing device described in the above embodiments. For details, please refer to the embodiments of the Ethernet interface automated testing device described above. The embodiments of the present invention will not be repeated here.

[0041] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0042] Similarly, it should be understood that, for the purpose of simplification and aiding understanding of one or more aspects of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention above. Other embodiments of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention that follow the general principles of the invention and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and embodiments are to be considered exemplary only, and it should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of the invention and not restrictive, and that alternative embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from its scope.

Claims

1. An automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces, characterized in that, include: The system comprises a base, a moving component, a robotic arm assembly, a test fixture, an oscilloscope, a base plate, short test network cables, and a controller. The moving component and robotic arm assembly are mounted on the upper part of the base, and the test fixture is slidably mounted on the moving component. A base plate is located on the side of the base near the robotic arm assembly, and multiple short test network cables are spaced apart on the base plate. The test fixture is electrically connected to the product under test via the short test network cables, and is also electrically connected to the oscilloscope via connecting cables. The oscilloscope, robotic arm assembly, and test fixture are all electrically connected to the controller.

2. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that: The moving component consists of two parallel guide rails. The test fixture has a movable part corresponding to the position of the guide rails. The movable part is movably mounted on the guide rails and can be a sliding block or a roller.

3. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that: The test short network cable is 5-15cm in length.

4. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that: The test short network cables include four different wiring sequences.

5. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that: The test short network cable is equipped with an identifier, which is one or a combination of colors, text, or patterns.

6. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base has a stepped structure, and the number of steps of the base matches the number of test short network cables. One test short network cable is placed on each step of the base.

7. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 6, characterized in that: The steps of the base are also provided with a placement slot for placing the test short network cable.

8. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 7, characterized in that: The width of the placement groove is greater than the diameter of the test short network cable, and the placement groove is an arc-shaped groove or a rectangular groove.

9. The automated testing device for Ethernet interfaces according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Ethernet interface automated testing device is also equipped with a test fixture, on which the product under test is placed, and the test fixture is provided with a limiting component surrounding the outside of the product under test.

10. An automated testing method for Ethernet interfaces, applied to the automated testing apparatus for Ethernet interfaces according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Multiple network cables to be tested are placed sequentially on the steps of the base, with one network cable to be tested placed on each step; The position of the test fixture on the moving component is adjusted by the controller so that the distance between the test fixture and the product under test does not exceed the length of the network cable under test; After receiving the control signal from the controller, the robotic arm assembly is activated. The robotic arm assembly clamps one of the network cables to be tested and connects it to the test fixture and the product under test respectively to complete the Ethernet interface test. The test results are acquired in real time using an oscilloscope. After the test is completed, the current network cable under test is clamped and reset by the robotic arm assembly, and the remaining network cables under test are tested in sequence using Ethernet interface testing.

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