Method and system for automated testing
Patent Information
- Application Number
- TW114114059
- Authority / Receiving Office
- TW · TW
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-16
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-04-13
AI Technical Summary
Traditional testing methods for PIR sensors in electronic devices, such as those used in smart homes and security systems, suffer from unstable conditions and low efficiency, necessitating a more reliable and efficient testing mechanism.
An automated testing system utilizing a robotic arm with an infrared sensing unit and control unit to simulate human movement and test the PIR sensor's functionality, including temperature control and additional functional tests like button pressing and near-field communication, generating test reports based on operational status data.
The system provides fully automated, efficient, and reliable testing of PIR sensors, requiring no human intervention and improving testing accuracy and efficiency.
Smart Images

Figure TWG2TA001080376_001 
Figure TWG2TA001080376_002 
Figure TWG2TA001080376_003
Abstract
Description
Automated testing methods and systems This invention relates to an automated testing method and system, and more particularly to an automated testing method and system for testing whether a device under test is functioning properly. In recent years, electronic devices have become increasingly intelligent and automated, and electronic devices equipped with passive infrared (PIR) sensors have been widely used in smart homes, security monitoring, and other fields. PIR sensors mainly detect changes in infrared light in the environment to determine whether there is movement, thus playing an important role in applications such as burglar alarm systems and automatic lighting control. Traditionally, PIR sensor testing is usually conducted through human actions (such as a tester waving their hand in front of the PIR sensor). However, this testing method suffers from problems such as unstable testing conditions and low testing efficiency. Therefore, how to provide an efficient and reliable testing mechanism for electronic devices equipped with PIR sensors has become a topic worthy of discussion. Therefore, one of the objectives of this invention is to provide an automated testing method that enables efficient and highly reliable testing of the device under test. This invention discloses an automated testing method that utilizes an automated testing system to test a device under test (DUT), comprising an infrared sensing unit and a control unit, to determine whether the DUT is sensing correctly. The automated testing system includes a robotic arm, a storage unit storing a set of path data, and a processing unit electrically connected to the storage unit and the robotic arm, and adapted to be electrically connected to the control unit. The robotic arm includes an arm portion movable under the control of the processing unit, and an end portion disposed on the arm portion, movable by the arm portion, and including a heat source. The automated testing method includes: (A) the processing unit executes a test program corresponding to the device under test, wherein the test program includes: (a1) controlling the movement of the arm part according to the path data set, so that the arm part drives the heat source of the end part to move within the sensing range of the infrared sensing unit; (a2) receiving operating status data generated by the control unit, and determining whether the control unit has obtained a trigger signal from the infrared sensing unit indicating that the infrared sensing unit has sensed an object according to the operating status data; (a3) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test failure, storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test program; (a4) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test success, and storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit; (B) after the test program ends, the processing unit generates and outputs a test report containing the preliminary test result. In some embodiments of the automated testing method of the present invention, the automated testing method further includes the following steps before step (A): (C) the processing unit controls the constant temperature testing equipment according to a test temperature value so that the temperature of the accommodating space meets the test temperature value; in step (A), the processing unit executes the test procedure when the temperature of the accommodating space meets the test temperature value; the automated testing method further includes the following steps after step (A): (D) the processing unit controls the constant temperature testing equipment according to another test temperature value different from the test temperature value so that the temperature of the accommodating space meets the other test temperature value; (E) the processing unit executes the test procedure again when the temperature of the accommodating space meets the other test temperature value; and (F) the processing unit generates and outputs another test report after executing the test procedure again. In some embodiments of the automated testing method of the present invention, the device under test further includes a button, and the end portion of the robotic arm further includes a soft pressing element. Specifically: In step (A), the test procedure further includes, after step (a4): (a5) controlling the movement of the arm portion according to the path data set, so that the arm portion drives the pressing element of the end portion to press the button of the device under test; (a6) determining, according to the operating status data, whether the control unit receives a pressing signal from the button indicating that the button is pressed; (a7) in response to determining that the control unit does not receive the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; (a8) in response to determining that the control unit receives the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, and storing the advanced test result in the storage unit; in step (B), the test report data further includes these advanced test results. In some embodiments of the automated testing method of the present invention, the device under test further includes a communication unit for communicating with a user terminal. Step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit outputs a communication request based on the operating status data; if the control unit outputs the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has received the press signal; if the control unit does not output the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has not received the press signal; wherein the communication request is sent through the communication unit to request the user terminal to allow the establishment of real-time audio-visual communication between the user terminal and the device under test. In some embodiments of the automated testing method of the present invention, the device under test further includes a near-field sensing unit. The end portion of the robotic arm also includes a near-field communication tag that can be sensed by the near-field sensing unit. In step (A), the test procedure further includes the following steps after step (a4): (a9) controlling the arm part to move according to the path data group, so that the arm part moves the near-field communication tag of the end part closer to the near-field sensing unit of the device under test; (a10) determining whether the control unit has obtained a sensing signal output from the near-field sensing unit indicating that the near-field sensing unit has sensed the near-field communication tag according to the operating status data; (a11) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; (a12) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit; in step (B), the test report data also includes such advanced test results. In some embodiments of the automated testing method of the present invention, step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit has switched to a specific operating mode based on the operating status data; if the control unit has switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has received the sensing signal; if the control unit has not switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has not received the sensing signal. Another objective of this invention is to provide an automated testing system capable of performing efficient and highly reliable testing on the device under test. The automated testing system of the present invention is used to test whether a device under test, including an infrared sensing unit and a control unit, is sensing properly. The automated testing system includes a processing unit electrically connected to the control unit, a storage unit electrically connected to the processing unit and storing a set of path data, and a robotic arm device. The robotic arm device includes an arm portion movable under the control of the processing unit, and an end portion disposed on the arm portion and movable by the arm portion, including a heat source. The processing unit is used to execute a test program corresponding to the device under test, wherein the test program includes: (a1) controlling the movement of the arm portion according to the path data set, so that the arm portion drives the heat source of the end portion to move within the sensing range of the infrared sensing unit; (a2) receiving operating status data generated by the control unit, and determining whether the control unit has obtained a trigger signal from the infrared sensing unit indicating that the infrared sensing unit has detected an object based on the operating status data; (a3) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test failure, storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test program; (a4) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test success, and storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit. The processing unit is also used to generate and output a test report containing the preliminary test result after the test program is completed. In some embodiments of the automated testing system of the present invention, the automated testing system further includes a constant temperature testing device electrically connected to the processing unit and including a accommodating space. Specifically: the accommodating space is used to accommodate the device under test and the robotic arm device; the processing unit is further configured to control the constant temperature testing device according to a test temperature value before executing the test procedure, so that the temperature of the accommodating space meets the test temperature value; the processing unit executes the test procedure when the temperature of the accommodating space meets the test temperature value; after executing the test procedure, the processing unit is further configured to: control the constant temperature testing device according to another test temperature value different from the test temperature value, so that the temperature of the accommodating space meets the other test temperature value; execute the test procedure again when the temperature of the accommodating space meets the other test temperature value; and generate and output another test report after re-executing the test procedure. In some embodiments of the automated testing system of the present invention, the device under test further includes a button. The distal end of the robotic arm also includes a soft pressing element. The test procedure further includes, after step (a4): (a5) controlling the movement of the arm portion according to the path data set, so that the arm portion drives the pressing element of the distal end to press the button of the device under test; (a6) determining, according to the operating status data, whether the control unit receives a pressing signal from the button indicating that the button is pressed; (a7) in response to determining that the control unit does not receive the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; (a8) in response to determining that the control unit receives the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, and storing the advanced test result in the storage unit. The test report data also includes these advanced test results. In some embodiments of the automated testing system of the present invention, the device under test further includes a communication unit for communicating with a user terminal. Step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit outputs a communication request based on the operating status data; if the control unit outputs the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has received the press signal; if the control unit does not output the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has not received the press signal; wherein the communication request is sent through the communication unit to request the user terminal to allow the establishment of real-time audio-visual communication between the user terminal and the device under test. In some embodiments of the automated testing system of the present invention, the device under test further includes a near-field sensing unit. The distal end of the robotic arm also includes a near-field communication tag that can be sensed by the near-field sensing unit. The test procedure further includes, after step (a4): (a9) controlling the arm to move according to the path data set, so that the arm moves the near-field communication tag at its distal end closer to the near-field sensing unit of the device under test; (a10) determining, according to the operating status data, whether the control unit has received a sensing signal output from the near-field sensing unit indicating that the near-field sensing unit has sensed the near-field communication tag; (a11) in response to determining that the control unit has not received the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; (a12) in response to determining that the control unit has received the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit. The test report data also includes these advanced test results. In some embodiments of the automated testing system of the present invention, step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit has switched to a specific operating mode based on the operating status data; if the control unit has switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has received the sensing signal; if the control unit has not switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has not received the sensing signal. The advantages of this invention are as follows: This automated testing system can perform fully automated testing of the infrared sensing function of the device under test (DUT) through the robotic arm device during the testing process. It generates preliminary test results indicating test failure or success based on the DUT's operational status data, and generates and outputs a test report containing these preliminary test results after the testing process is completed. Therefore, this automated testing system provides an efficient and reliable testing mechanism for the DUT, and requires no human intervention during the testing process, thus effectively improving upon existing technologies. Before this invention is described in detail, it should be noted that the term "electrically connected" in this patent specification is used to describe the coupled relationship between hardware (such as electronic systems, devices, apparatuses, units, modules, and components). Unless otherwise defined, "electrically connected" generally refers to "wired electrical connections" that are physically connected to each other through conductor / semiconductor materials, and "radio connections" that achieve wireless data transmission using wireless communication technologies (such as, but not limited to, wireless networks, Bluetooth, electromagnetic induction, etc.). On the other hand, unless otherwise defined, "electrically connected" also generally refers to "direct electrical connections" that are directly coupled to each other, and "indirect electrical connections" that are indirectly coupled to each other through other hardware. This patent specification provides multiple embodiments under the same general technical creation; therefore, in the following description, similar elements between different embodiments are represented by the same numbers. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the automated testing system 1 of the present invention is used to test whether the infrared sensing function and button function of a device under test 5 are normal. In this embodiment, the device under test 5 is a smart bell host, which includes a control unit 51, an infrared sensing unit 52, a communication unit 53 and a button 54 electrically connected to the control unit 51. The control unit 51 is, for example, a combination of a central processing unit (CPU) and a microcontroller (MCU), configured to switch between multiple operating modes. These operating modes include a normal operating mode and a power-saving standby mode. In the normal operating mode, the operation of the control unit 51 includes continuously detecting whether the infrared sensing unit 52 detects an object and whether the button 54 is pressed. In the power-saving standby mode, the CPU of the control unit 51 goes into sleep mode, and the microcontroller, for example, reduces its operating frequency or suspends some operations in the normal operating mode (e.g., suspending the detection of whether the button 54 is pressed), thereby reducing power consumption. The infrared sensing unit 52 is a passive infrared sensor (PIR sensor) used to generate and output a trigger signal to the control unit 51 when a moving object (such as a human body) is detected. Furthermore, the control unit 51 is configured to: switch from the power-saving standby mode to the normal operation mode when the trigger signal is received in the power-saving standby mode; and maintain operation in the normal operation mode when the trigger signal is received in the normal operation mode. The communication unit 53 is an audio-visual communication module based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The button 54 generates and outputs a press signal to the control unit 51 when pressed. Furthermore, the control unit 51 is configured to, upon receiving the press signal in normal operation mode, send a communication request via the communication unit 53 to a user terminal 6. The user terminal 6 may be, for example, a mobile phone, but could also be an intercom system paired with a smart bell host. The communication request requests permission from the user terminal 6 to establish real-time audio-visual communication between the user terminal 6 and the device under test 5, thereby enabling the communication unit 53 to communicate with the user terminal 6. The automated testing system 1 includes a robotic arm device 11, a storage unit 12, and a processing unit 13 electrically connected to the storage unit 12 and the robotic arm device 11. The robotic arm device 11 includes an arm portion 111 that can be moved under the control of the processing unit 13, and an end portion 112 disposed on the arm portion 111 and driven by the arm portion 111. In this embodiment, the end portion 112 includes a heat source 113 and a pressing member 114 made of a soft material and having elasticity. More specifically, in this embodiment, the heat source 113 is a ceramic heating element that can receive electrical energy and convert electrical energy into heat energy, and the pressing member 114 is a spherical foam block. However, in other embodiments, the heat source 113 may also be a resistor, an electrothermal film, or other electrothermal element that heats up when energized. The pressing member 114 may also be implemented as a sponge block, rubber block, silicone block, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or other elastic soft object. The robotic arm device 11 is suitable for placement at a test position adjacent to the device under test 5. At the test position, the end portion 112 of the robotic arm device 11 can be driven by the arm portion 111 to approach the infrared sensing unit 52 of the device under test 5 and to contact the button 54. Further explanation: In one embodiment, the size and weight of the robotic arm device 11 are easily movable. For example, the height of the robotic arm device 11 is approximately the same as that of the device under test 5 (e.g., a smart bell host). Therefore, both the robotic arm device 11 and the device under test 5 can be housed in a constant temperature chamber or a temperature-controlled chamber. Further explanation: The aforementioned constant temperature chamber or temperature-controlled chamber also occupies a small space, for example, a constant temperature chamber or temperature-controlled chamber with a volume of less than 100 liters. Since both the robotic arm device 11 and the device under test 5 can be housed in a constant temperature chamber or temperature-controlled chamber, the function of the device under test 5 can be tested under different background temperatures. In this embodiment, the processing unit 13 and the storage unit 12 are integrated into a portable electronic device 14 (e.g., a laptop computer). The processing unit 13 is a processor implemented with integrated circuitry and possesses data processing and instruction transmission / reception functions. It is suitable for electrical connection to the control unit 51 of the device under test 5 via a port and a transmission line (not shown) of the portable electronic device 14. In different embodiments, the processing unit 13 may also be a circuit assembly including a processor and a circuit board, or a collection of multiple processors. Furthermore, the processing unit 13 may also be electrically connected to the control unit 51 of the device under test 5, for example, via Bluetooth or other wireless communication standards. The storage unit 12 is a data storage device (e.g., a hard drive) for storing digital data. In different embodiments, the storage unit 12 may also be a collection of multiple storage devices of the same or different types. The storage unit 12 stores a path data group D1. The path data group D1 is used for the processing unit 13 to read, so that the processing unit 13 can control the movement path of the arm part 111 of the robotic arm device 11. In this embodiment, the path data group D1 includes a first path data D11 and a second path data D12. The first path data D11 is used by the processing unit 13 to control the arm portion 111 of the robotic arm device 11 to move the end portion 112 along a first path, so that the heat source 113 moves within the sensing range of the infrared sensing unit 52. The second path data D12 is used by the processing unit 13 to control the arm portion 111 of the robotic arm device 11 to move the end portion 112 along a second path that continues the first path, so that the pressing member 114 presses the button 54 of the tested device 5. With the robotic arm device 11 in the test position, referring further to Figure 3, the following describes how the automated test system 1 performs an automated test on the device under test 5. In step S1, the processing unit 13 executes a test program corresponding to the device under test 5. Referring further to Figure 4, the test procedure includes the following steps. In step S11, the processing unit 13 controls the movement of the arm portion 111 according to the first path data D11 of the path data group D1, so that the arm portion 111 drives the heat source 113 of the end portion 112 to move along the first path within the sensing range of the infrared sensing unit 52. In this way, the automated testing system 1 can use the heat source 113 on the robotic arm device 11 to simulate a human body moving in front of the infrared sensing unit 52 to trigger the infrared sensing unit 52. In step S12, the processing unit 13 receives operating status data generated by the control unit 51, and determines whether the control unit 51 has obtained a trigger signal from the infrared sensing unit 52 indicating that the infrared sensing unit 52 has sensed an object based on the operating status data. Specifically, the operational status data is the system output information of the device under test 5, including a CPU operation record that can be displayed on a CPU console interface and a microcontroller operation record that can be displayed on a microcontroller console interface. In this embodiment, the processing unit 13 determines whether the control unit 51 has received the trigger signal by determining whether an infrared trigger message appears in the microcontroller operation record within a first period. The first period is the period during which the processing unit 13 controls the arm portion 111 to move according to the first path data D11. When the processing unit 13 determines that an infrared trigger message appears in the microcontroller operation record within the first period, it is considered that the control unit 51 has received the trigger signal, and the process proceeds to step S14. Conversely, when the processing unit 13 determines that no infrared trigger message appears in the microcontroller operation record within the first period, it is considered that the control unit 51 has not received the trigger signal, and the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, in response to the determination that the control unit 51 has not received the trigger signal, the processing unit 13 generates a preliminary test result indicating that the infrared sensing unit 52 has failed the test, stores the preliminary test result in the storage unit 12, and ends the current test procedure. In step S14, in response to determining that the control unit 51 has received the trigger signal, the processing unit 13 generates a preliminary test result indicating that the infrared sensing unit 52 has been successfully tested, and stores the preliminary test result in the storage unit 12. In step S15, the processing unit 13 controls the arm portion 111 to move according to the second path data D12 of the path data group D1, so that the arm portion 111 drives the pressing member 114 of the end portion 112 to move along the second path, thereby pressing the button 54 of the tested device 5. It is worth noting that the pressing member 114 is an elastic and soft foam block, which will deform when subjected to sufficiently large external pressure, thus avoiding scratching the surface of the button 54. In step S16, the processing unit 13 determines, based on the operating status data, whether the control unit 51 has received a pressing signal from the button 54 indicating that the button 54 has been pressed. More specifically, in this embodiment, the processing unit 13 determines whether the control unit 51 has received the pressing signal by judging whether the control unit 51 outputs the communication request during a second period based on the central processing unit operation record in the operation status data. The second period is the period during which the processing unit 13 controls the arm portion 111 to move according to the second path data D12. When the processing unit 13 determines that the control unit 51 has output the communication request during the second period, it is considered that the control unit 51 has received the pressing signal, and the process proceeds to step S18. Conversely, when the processing unit 13 determines that the control unit 51 has not output the communication request during the second period, it is considered that the control unit 51 has not received the pressing signal, and the process proceeds to step S17. In step S17, in response to the determination that the control unit 51 has not received the pressing signal, the processing unit 13 generates an advanced test result indicating that the button 54 has failed the test, stores the advanced test result in the storage unit 12, and ends the current test procedure. In step S18, in response to determining that the control unit 51 has received the pressing signal, the processing unit 13 generates an advanced test result indicating that the button 54 has been successfully tested, stores the advanced test result in the storage unit 12, and ends the current test procedure. Specifically, in this embodiment, the control unit 51 only switches from the power-saving standby mode to the normal operation mode when it receives the trigger signal from the infrared sensing unit 52, and only in the normal operation mode will it output the communication request based on the press signal from the button 54. In other words, in the power-saving standby mode, even if the control unit 51 receives the press signal, it will not output the communication request. Based on the above, once the processing unit 13 determines in step S12 that the control unit 51 has not received the trigger signal, it means that the control unit 51 will not switch from the power-saving standby mode to the normal operation mode, nor will it output the communication request based on the press signal. Therefore, after storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit 12 in step S13, the processing unit 13 will then end the current test program without continuing to execute steps S15 to S18, so as to avoid wasting time performing an invalid test on the button 54 of the device under test 5. In step S2, the processing unit 13 determines whether the cumulative number of executions of the test program has reached a predetermined number pre-stored by the storage unit 12. The predetermined number may be 100 times, but is not limited to this. In response to the determination that the cumulative number of executions has not reached the predetermined number (i.e., the cumulative number of executions is less than the predetermined number), the process returns to step S1 so that the processing unit 13 executes the test program again. In response to the determination that the cumulative execution count has reached the predetermined number (i.e., the cumulative execution count equals the predetermined number), in step S3, the processing unit 13 generates and outputs a test report containing the preliminary test results and the advanced test results. In this embodiment, the test report presents the preliminary test results and the advanced test results in tabular form, for example, for user viewing. By performing repeated tests (e.g., 100 times) on the device under test 5, the test report not only shows whether each test was successful, but can also be used to evaluate whether the device under test 5 has sufficient stability. The processing unit 13 outputs the test report by controlling a display unit to display the test report, transmitting the test report to a test report receiving end (e.g., a mobile phone, computer, or server) via a network, or providing the test report to the storage unit 12 for storage. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, a second embodiment of the automated testing system 1 of the present invention is used to test whether the infrared sensing function and near-field communication (NFC) function of the device under test 5 are normal. The differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be described below. As shown in Figure 6, the device under test 5 also includes a near-field sensing unit 55 electrically connected to the control unit 51. The near-field sensing unit 55 is an NFC module in reader / writer mode. As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the end portion 112 of the robotic arm includes the heat source 113 and a near-field communication tag 115 (i.e., NFC tag) that can be sensed by the near-field sensing unit 55. The near-field communication tag 115 contains a control command that can be recognized by the control unit 51 of the device under test 5 through the near-field sensing unit 55. This control command is used to switch the control unit 51 from the normal operating mode to a specific operating mode. In this embodiment, the specific operating mode is the power-saving standby mode. However, it should be noted that, depending on the control command in the near-field communication tag 115 and the functional configuration of the device under test 5, the specific operating mode may also be, for example, an administrator setting mode that allows the user to configure the operation of the device under test 5, or an engineering mode that facilitates the user's diagnosis and maintenance of the device under test 5. As shown in Figure 6, in this embodiment, the path data group D1 stored in the storage unit 12 includes the first path data D11 and a third path data D13. The third path data D13 is used by the processing unit 13 to control the arm portion 111 of the robotic arm device 11 to move the end portion 112 along a third path that connects to the first path, so that the near-field communication tag 115 of the end portion 112 approaches the near-field sensing unit 55 and enters the sensing range of the near-field sensing unit 55. Referring further to Figure 7, the following describes how the automated testing system 1 implements the automated testing method on the device under test 5 in this embodiment. In step S1', the processing unit 13 executes another test procedure corresponding to the device under test 5. Referring further to Figure 8, steps S11' to S14' of this other test procedure are the same as steps S11 to S14 of the test procedure in the first embodiment (shown in Figure 4), so they will not be repeated here. The following describes steps S15' to S18' of the other test procedure in this embodiment. In step S15', the processing unit 13 controls the arm part 111 to move according to the third path data D13 of the path data group D1, so that the arm part 111 drives the near-field communication tag 115 of the end part 112 to approach the near-field sensing unit 55 of the tested device 5 along the third path, thereby bringing the near-field communication tag 115 into the sensing range of the near-field sensing unit 55. In step S16', the processing unit 13 determines, based on the operating status data, whether the control unit 51 has obtained a sensing signal output from the near field sensing unit 55 indicating that the near field sensing unit 55 has sensed the near field communication tag 115. More specifically, in this embodiment, the processing unit 13 determines whether the control unit 51 has received the sensing signal by determining, based on the operating status data, whether the control unit 51 has switched from the normal operating mode to the specific operating mode within a third period. This third period is the period during which the processing unit 13 controls the arm portion 111 to move according to the third path data D13. When the processing unit 13 determines that the control unit 51 has switched to the specific operating mode within the third period, it is considered that the control unit 51 has received the sensing signal, and the process proceeds to step S18'. Conversely, when the processing unit 13 determines that the control unit 51 has not switched to the specific operating mode within the third period, it is considered that the control unit 51 has not received the sensing signal, and the process proceeds to step S17'. In step S17', in response to the determination that the control unit 51 has not received the sensing signal, the processing unit 13 generates another advanced test result indicating that the near field sensing unit 55 has failed the test, stores the other advanced test result in the storage unit 12, and ends the current test procedure. In step S18', in response to determining that the control unit 51 has obtained the sensing signal, the processing unit 13 generates another advanced test result indicating that the near field sensing unit 55 has been successfully tested, and stores the other advanced test result in the storage unit 12. It is worth noting that in this embodiment, the control unit 51 will only switch from the normal operating mode to the specific operating mode based on the sensing signal from the near-field sensing unit 55 when it is in the normal operating mode. In other words, in the power-saving standby mode, even if the control unit 51 receives the sensing signal, it will not switch from the normal operating mode to the specific operating mode. Based on the above, once the processing unit 13 determines in step S12' that the control unit 51 has not received the trigger signal, it means that the control unit 51 will not switch from the power-saving standby mode to the normal operating mode, nor will it switch to the specific operating mode based on the sensing signal. Therefore, after storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit 12 in step S13', the processing unit 13 will then end the current test procedure without continuing to execute steps S15' to S18', so as to avoid wasting time performing an invalid test on the near-field sensing unit 55 of the device under test 5. In step S2', as in step S2 of the first embodiment, the processing unit 13 determines whether the cumulative number of executions of the test program has reached the predetermined number (e.g., 100 times). In response to the determination that the cumulative number of executions has not reached the predetermined number, the process returns to step S1' so that the processing unit 13 executes the test program again. In response to the determination that the cumulative execution count has reached the predetermined number, in step S3', the processing unit 13 generates and outputs another test report. This other test report includes the preliminary test results and advanced test results indicating whether the test of the near-field sensing unit 55 was successful. In a third embodiment of the automated testing system 1, the testing procedure only includes the step of testing the infrared sensing unit 52, and does not include the steps of testing the button 54 and the near-field sensing unit 55. More specifically, in the third embodiment, the testing procedure only includes steps S11 to S14 in FIG. 4 (equivalent to steps S11' to S14' in FIG. 8), and does not include steps S15 to S18 in FIG. 4, nor steps S15' to S18' in FIG. 8. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the test report data only includes the preliminary test results related to the infrared sensing unit 52, and does not include the advanced test results related to the button 54 or the near-field sensing unit 55. In addition, in different applications of the foregoing embodiments, the device under test 5 can also be other types of electronic devices, such as surveillance cameras that use the infrared sensing unit 52 to sense the movement of objects, electronic door locks, burglar alarms, thermometers, etc. Referring to Figures 9 and 10, a fourth embodiment of the automated testing system 1 of the present invention is used to test whether the infrared sensing function of the device under test 5 is normal under different temperature environments. The differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, the automated testing system 1 further includes a constant temperature testing device 15. The constant temperature testing device 15 is, for example, a programmable constant temperature testing machine (also called a constant temperature chamber or temperature control chamber), including a housing space 151 for accommodating the device under test 5 and the robotic arm device 11, a door 152 for opening or closing the housing space 151, and a temperature control unit 153 electrically connected to the processing unit 13. The temperature control unit 153 includes, for example, a temperature detection module (not shown), a heating module (e.g., an electric heating element), a cooling module (e.g., a refrigerant circulation system implemented with a compressor), and a control module electrically connected to the temperature detection module, the heating module, the cooling module, and the processing unit 13. The temperature control unit 153 is used, under the control of the processing unit 13, to change or maintain the temperature within the accommodating space 151, so that the accommodating space 151 forms a constant temperature environment when closed by the door 152. As shown in Figure 9, the device under test 5 is adapted to be placed in the accommodating space 151 of the constant temperature test equipment 15. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the robotic arm device 11 is also disposed in the accommodating space 151. In other words, the test position is located within the accommodating space 151. The storage unit also stores multiple different test temperature values. In this embodiment, these test temperature values are a first test temperature value T1, a second test temperature value T2, and a third test temperature value T3, as shown in FIG10. The first test temperature value T1 is 0°C, the second test temperature value T2 is 25°C, and the third test temperature value T3 is 45°C, but this is not a limitation. It should be further noted that the first test temperature value T1 to the third test temperature value T3 can be set according to the operating temperature range of the infrared sensing unit 52 of the tested device 5, and are respectively close to or equal to the lower limit, middle value, and upper limit of the operating temperature range of the infrared sensing unit 52. Referring further to Figure 11, the following describes how the automated testing system 1 implements the automated testing method on the device under test 5 in this embodiment. The automated testing method is implemented when the accommodating space 151 is closed by the door 152 (Figure 9 shows the case where the door 152 does not close the accommodating space 151). In step S1", the processing unit 13 transmits a first temperature control command containing the first test temperature value T1 to the temperature control unit 153 of the constant temperature test equipment 15, so that the temperature control unit 153 adjusts the temperature of the accommodating space 151 to meet the first test temperature value T1 (e.g., 0°C, with negligible error) according to the first temperature control command and maintains it at the first test temperature value T1. In this embodiment, the processing unit 13 also times the time according to a pre-set first temperature adjustment waiting period (e.g., 15 minutes, the actual value depending on the temperature adjustment speed of the temperature control unit 153), and executes step S2" when the first temperature adjustment waiting period ends. Thus, this embodiment allows the temperature control unit 153 sufficient time to adjust the temperature of the accommodating space 151 to meet the first test temperature value T1. It should be further noted that, in different embodiments, the processing unit 13 does not necessarily need to time according to the first temperature adjustment waiting period. Instead, it can execute step S2” when it receives a temperature adjustment completion notification from the temperature control unit 153 corresponding to the first temperature control command, or when it determines that the current temperature value of the accommodating space 151 conforms to the first test temperature value T1. The temperature adjustment completion notification is output by the temperature control unit 153 when it determines that the temperature of the accommodating space 151 matches the first test temperature value T1. In short, the processing unit 13 only needs to execute step S2” when the temperature of the accommodating space 151 conforms to the first test temperature value T1. In step S2", the processing unit 13 executes another test procedure. In this embodiment, the second test procedure is the same as that in the third embodiment, that is, it includes steps S11 to S14 in FIG4, but does not include steps S15 to S18 in FIG4, nor steps S15' to S18' in FIG8. In other words, in this embodiment, the second test procedure only includes the step of testing the infrared sensing unit 52, and does not include the step of testing the button 54 (shown in FIG1 and FIG2) and the near-field sensing unit 55 (shown in FIG5 and FIG6). However, in other similar embodiments, the second test procedure may also include steps S15 to S18 in FIG4 (that is, the step of testing the button 54), or steps S15' to S18' in FIG8 (that is, the step of testing the near-field sensing unit 55). In step S3", the processing unit 13 determines whether the cumulative number of executions of the retest procedure (e.g., a first cumulative number of executions in this embodiment) has reached the predetermined number. The first cumulative number of executions refers to the number of times the retest procedure has been executed by the processing unit 13 when the temperature of the accommodating space 151 meets the first test temperature value T1 (e.g., 0°C). In response to the determination that the first cumulative execution count has not reached the predetermined number, the process returns to step S2”, so that the processing unit 13 executes the aforementioned test procedure again. In response to the determination that the first cumulative execution count has reached the predetermined number, in step S4", the processing unit 13 generates and outputs a test report (e.g., a first test report in this embodiment). In this embodiment, the first test report includes multiple preliminary test results indicating whether the test of the infrared sensing unit 52 was successful, and indicates whether the infrared sensing unit 52 can operate stably in an environment where the temperature meets the first test temperature value T1. In step S5", the processing unit 13 transmits a second temperature control command containing the second test temperature value T2 to the temperature control unit 153 of the constant temperature test equipment 15, so that the temperature control unit 153 adjusts the temperature of the accommodating space 151 to meet the second test temperature value T2 (e.g., 25°C) according to the second temperature control command and maintains it at the second test temperature value T2. In this embodiment, the processing unit 13 also times the time according to a pre-set second temperature adjustment waiting period (the actual value depends on the temperature adjustment speed of the constant temperature test equipment 15), and executes step S6" when the second temperature adjustment waiting period ends. It should be noted that in different embodiments, the processing unit 13 may also execute step S6" when it receives a temperature adjustment completion notification from the temperature control unit 153 corresponding to the second temperature control command, or when it determines that the current temperature value meets the second test temperature value T2. In step S6", the processing unit 13 executes the additional test procedure again. The additional test procedure in step S6” is the same as the additional test procedure in step S2”. In step S7", the processing unit 13 determines whether another cumulative execution count of the retest procedure (e.g., a second cumulative execution count in this embodiment) has reached the predetermined number. The second cumulative execution count refers to the number of times the retest procedure has been executed by the processing unit 13 when the temperature of the accommodating space 151 meets the second test temperature value T2 (e.g., 25°C). In response to the determination that the second cumulative execution count has not reached the predetermined number, the process returns to step S6”, so that the processing unit 13 executes the aforementioned test procedure again. In response to the determination that the second cumulative execution count has reached the predetermined number, in step S8", the processing unit 13 generates and outputs another test report (e.g., a second test report in this embodiment). In this embodiment, the second test report includes multiple preliminary test results indicating whether the test of the infrared sensing unit 52 was successful, and indicates whether the infrared sensing unit 52 can operate stably in an environment where the temperature meets the second test temperature value. In step S9", the processing unit 13 transmits a third temperature control command containing the third test temperature value to the temperature control unit 153 of the constant temperature test equipment 15, so that the temperature control unit 153 adjusts the temperature of the accommodating space 151 to meet the third test temperature value (e.g., 45°C) according to the third temperature control command and maintains it at the third test temperature value. In this embodiment, the processing unit 13 also times the time according to a pre-set third temperature adjustment waiting period (the actual value depends on the temperature adjustment speed of the constant temperature test equipment 15), and executes step S10" when the third temperature adjustment waiting period ends. It should be noted that in different embodiments, the processing unit 13 may also execute step S10" when it receives a temperature adjustment completion notification from the temperature control unit 153 corresponding to the third temperature control command, or when it determines that the current temperature value meets the third test temperature value T3. In step S10", the processing unit 13 executes the additional test procedure again. The additional test procedure in step S10 is the same as the additional test procedure in step S2". In step S11", the processing unit 13 determines whether the cumulative number of executions of the additional test procedure (e.g., a third cumulative number of executions in this embodiment) has reached the predetermined number. The third cumulative number of executions refers to the number of times the additional test procedure has been executed by the processing unit 13 when the temperature of the accommodating space 151 meets the third test temperature value (e.g., 45°C). In response to the determination that the third cumulative execution count has not reached the predetermined number, the process returns to step S10”, so that the processing unit 13 executes the aforementioned test procedure again. In response to the determination that the third cumulative execution count has reached the predetermined number, in step S12", the processing unit 13 generates and outputs another test report (e.g., a third test report in this embodiment). In this embodiment, the third test report includes multiple preliminary test results indicating whether the test of the infrared sensing unit 52 is successful, and indicates whether the infrared sensing unit 52 can operate stably in an environment where the temperature meets the third test temperature value. It should be further noted that, in other similar embodiments, steps S4” and S8” can be combined into step S12”. In other words, the processing unit 13 can first execute steps S1” to S3”, steps S5” to S7” and steps S9” to S11” in sequence (that is, repeatedly execute the process of “changing the temperature of the accommodating space 151 and performing multiple test procedures on the device under test 5”), and then generate and output the first test report data, the second test report data and the third test report data together. Through the fourth embodiment, the automated testing system 1 can automatically adjust the temperature within the accommodating space 151 (equivalent to the ambient temperature of the device under test 5), and repeatedly execute the test procedure on the device under test 5 within the accommodating space 151 at each preset temperature, and output test report data corresponding to each preset temperature. It is worth noting that the infrared sensing function detects the movement of an object based on the infrared thermal radiation emitted by the object. Therefore, the stability of the infrared sensing unit 52 is more susceptible to the influence of ambient temperature than that of the button 54 and the near-field sensing unit 55. Based on the above, the fourth embodiment can use temperature as a variable to more comprehensively test whether the infrared sensing function of the device under test 5 can operate stably under different temperatures. In summary, by implementing this automated testing method on the device under test 5, the automated testing system 1 can perform fully automated testing of the infrared sensing function of the device under test 5 through the robotic arm device 11 during the testing procedure. It can also simultaneously test the button function or near-field sensing function of the device under test 5, and generate preliminary test results and advanced test results indicating test failure or success based on the operational status data of the device under test 5. Furthermore, after the cumulative execution number of the testing procedure reaches the predetermined number, it generates and outputs test report data containing these preliminary test results and advanced test results. The automated testing system 1 provides an efficient and reliable testing mechanism for the device under test 5, and requires no human intervention during the testing process, thus effectively achieving the objectives of this invention. However, the above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the patent application and the contents of the patent specification shall still fall within the scope of the patent of the present invention. 1: Automated testing system 11: Robotic arm device 12: Storage unit 13: Processing unit 14: Portable electronic device 15: Constant temperature testing equipment 111: Arm part 112: End part 113: Heat source 114: Pressing element 115: Near-field communication tag 151: Accommodation space 152: Door 153: Temperature control unit D1: Path data group D11······ First path data D12······ Second path data D13······ Third path data T1: First test temperature value T2: Second test temperature value T3: Third test temperature value 5: Test device 51: Control unit 52: Infrared sensing unit 53: Communication unit 54: Button 55: Near-field sensing unit 6: User terminal S1~S3: Steps S1'~S3': Steps S1”~S12”: Steps S11~S18: Steps S11'~S18': Steps Other features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the embodiments with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the automated testing system of the present invention, a test device suitable for use with the automated testing system, and a user terminal. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary first embodiment of the automated testing system, the device under test, and the user terminal. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating how a first embodiment of the automated testing system implements an automated testing method. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the execution of a test procedure in the automated testing method in a first embodiment of the automated testing system. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the automated testing system of the present invention, the device under test, and the user terminal. Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the automated testing system, the device under test, and the user terminal. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating how the automated testing method is implemented in a second embodiment of the automated testing system. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a second embodiment of the automated testing system executing another test procedure in the automated testing method. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a fourth embodiment of the automated testing system of the present invention, the device under test, and the user terminal. Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating, exemplarily, a fourth embodiment of the automated testing system, the device under test, and the user terminal. Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating how the fourth implementation of the automated testing system implements the automated testing method. S11~S18: Steps
Claims
1. An automated testing method is provided, in which an automated testing system performs testing on a device under test (DUT) comprising an infrared sensing unit and a control unit, for testing whether the DUT is sensing normally. The automated testing system includes a robotic arm, a storage unit storing a path data set, and a processing unit electrically connected to the storage unit and the robotic arm and adapted to be electrically connected to the control unit. The robotic arm includes an arm portion movable under the control of the processing unit, and an end portion disposed on the arm portion and movable under the control of the arm portion, including a heat source. The automated testing method includes: (A) the processing unit executing a test program corresponding to the DUT, wherein... The test procedure includes (a1) controlling the movement of the arm part according to the path data set, so that the arm part drives the heat source of the end part to move within the sensing range of the infrared sensing unit; (a2) receiving an operating status data generated by the control unit, and determining whether the control unit has obtained a trigger signal from the infrared sensing unit indicating that the infrared sensing unit has detected an object based on the operating status data; (a3) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test failure, storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; and (a4) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test success, and storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit; and (B) after the test procedure ends, the processing unit generates and outputs a test report containing the preliminary test result. The automated testing method as described in claim 1, the automated testing system further includes a constant-temperature testing device electrically connected to the processing unit and including a accommodating space for accommodating the device under test and the robotic arm device; wherein: The automated testing method further includes, prior to step (A): (C) the processing unit controls the constant temperature testing equipment according to a test temperature value so that the temperature of the containment space meets the test temperature value; in step (A), the processing unit executes the test procedure when the temperature of the containment space meets the test temperature value; and the automated testing method further includes, after step (A): (D) the processing unit controls the constant temperature testing equipment according to another test temperature value different from the test temperature value so that the temperature of the containment space meets the other test temperature value; (E) the processing unit executes the test procedure again when the temperature of the containment space meets the other test temperature value; and (F) the processing unit generates and outputs another test report after executing the test procedure again. The automated testing method as described in claim 1, wherein the device under test further includes a button, and the end portion of the robotic arm device further includes a soft pressing element, wherein: In step (A), the test procedure further includes (a5) after step (a4) controlling the movement of the arm part according to the path data group so that the arm part drives the pressing member of the end part to press the button of the device under test; (a6) determining whether the control unit has received a pressing signal from the button indicating that the button has been pressed according to the operating status data; (a7) in response to determining that the control unit has not received the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; and (a8) in response to determining that the control unit has received the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, and storing the advanced test result in the storage unit; in step (B), the test report data also includes such advanced test results. The automated testing method described in claim 3 further includes a communication unit for communicating with a user terminal; wherein... The step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit outputs a communication request based on the operating status data; if the control unit outputs the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has received the press signal; if the control unit does not output the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has not received the press signal; wherein, the communication request is sent through the communication unit to request the user terminal to allow the establishment of real-time audio and video communication between the user terminal and the device under test. The automated testing method described in request item 1, wherein, The device under test also includes a near-field sensing unit, and the end portion of the robotic arm device also includes a near-field communication tag that can be sensed by the near-field sensing unit. In step (A), the test procedure further includes the following steps after step (a4): (a9) controlling the movement of the arm portion according to the path data set so that the arm portion moves the near-field communication tag at the end portion closer to the near-field sensing unit of the device under test; (a10) determining, according to the operating status data, whether the control unit has obtained a sensing signal output from the near-field sensing unit indicating that the near-field sensing unit has sensed the near-field communication tag; and (a11) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; and (a12) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit; in step (B), the test report data also includes these advanced test results. The automated testing method described in request item 5, wherein... Step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit has switched to a specific operating mode based on the operating status data; if the control unit has switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has received the sensing signal; if the control unit has not switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has not received the sensing signal. An automated testing system is disclosed for testing whether a device under test (DUT), comprising an infrared sensing unit and a control unit, is functioning correctly. The automated testing system includes: a processing unit electrically connected to the control unit; a storage unit electrically connected to the processing unit, storing a path data set; and a robotic arm device, including an arm portion movable under the control of the processing unit, and an end portion disposed on the arm portion and movable by the arm portion, including a heat source. The processing unit is used to execute a test program corresponding to the DUT, wherein... The test procedure includes (a1) controlling the movement of the arm part according to the path data set, so that the arm part drives the heat source of the end part to move within the sensing range of the infrared sensing unit; (a2) receiving operating status data generated by the control unit, and determining whether the control unit has obtained a trigger signal from the infrared sensing unit indicating that the infrared sensing unit has detected an object based on the operating status data; (a3) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test failure, storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; and (a4) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the trigger signal, generating a preliminary test result indicating test success, and storing the preliminary test result in the storage unit; the processing unit is also used to generate and output a test report containing the preliminary test result after the test procedure is completed. The automated testing system as described in claim 7 further includes a constant-temperature testing device electrically connected to the processing unit and including a accommodating space, wherein: The accommodating space is used to accommodate the device under test and the robotic arm device; the processing unit is also used to control the constant temperature test equipment according to a test temperature value before executing the test procedure, so that the temperature of the accommodating space meets the test temperature value; the processing unit executes the test procedure when the temperature of the accommodating space meets the test temperature value; after executing the test procedure, the processing unit is also used to control the constant temperature test equipment according to another test temperature value different from the test temperature value, so that the temperature of the accommodating space meets the other test temperature value, execute the test procedure again when the temperature of the accommodating space meets the other test temperature value, and generate and output another test report data after executing the test procedure again. The automated test system as described in claim 7, the device under test further includes a button; wherein: The end portion of the robotic arm device also includes a soft pressing element; and the test procedure also includes (a5) after step (a4) controlling the movement of the arm portion according to the path data group so that the arm portion drives the pressing element of the end portion to press the button of the device under test; (a6) determining whether the control unit has received a pressing signal from the button indicating that the button has been pressed according to the operating status data; (a7) in response to determining that the control unit has not received the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; and (a8) in response to determining that the control unit has received the pressing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, and storing the advanced test result in the storage unit; the test report data also includes such advanced test results. The automated testing system as described in claim 9 further includes a communication unit for communicating with a user terminal; wherein... The step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit outputs a communication request based on the operating status data; if the control unit outputs the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has received the press signal; if the control unit does not output the communication request, it is considered that the control unit has not received the press signal; wherein, the communication request is sent through the communication unit to request the user terminal to allow the establishment of real-time audio and video communication between the user terminal and the device under test. The automated test system as described in claim 7 further includes a near-field sensing unit; wherein: The end portion of the robotic arm device also includes a near-field communication tag that can be sensed by the near-field sensing unit; the test procedure also includes (a9) after step (a4) controlling the movement of the arm portion according to the path data set, so that the arm portion moves the near-field communication tag at the end portion closer to the near-field sensing unit of the device under test; (a10) determining, according to the operating status data, whether the control unit has obtained a sensing signal output from the near-field sensing unit indicating that the near-field sensing unit has sensed the near-field communication tag; and (a11) in response to determining that the control unit has not obtained the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test failure, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit, and ending the current test procedure; and (a12) in response to determining that the control unit has obtained the sensing signal, generating an advanced test result indicating test success, storing the advanced test result in the storage unit; the test report data also includes such advanced test results. The automated testing system as described in request item 11, wherein, Step (a6) includes: determining whether the control unit has switched to a specific operating mode based on the operating status data; if the control unit has switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has received the sensing signal; if the control unit has not switched to the specific operating mode, it is considered that the control unit has not received the sensing signal.
