Automated Test Program Generation for ATE Platforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual generation of test specifications and test program sets for electronic equipment testing is resource-intensive in terms of labor, time, and money, especially when switching between different Automated Testing Equipment (ATE) platforms or Unit Under Test (UUT) types.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that retrieve test patterns, UUT information, and ATE platform information from a repository to automatically generate test specifications and test program sets by instantiating test patterns, replacing logical signal names with actual UUT signals, and mapping logical testing resources to specific drivers and resources, enabling automated testing across different platforms and UUTs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual generation of test specifications and test program sets is used, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but labor, time, and money resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining test patterns, logical signal names, and mapping relationships in a configuration database before actual testing. When a new UUT or ATE platform is encountered, the system retrieves pre-configured patterns and applies them automatically, eliminating the need for manual test specification creation from scratch and significantly reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of existing test patterns and mappings to adapt them to new UUTs and platforms. By retrieving and instantiating pre-defined test patterns with appropriate signal and resource substitutions, the system efficiently generates test specifications for new configurations without requiring entirely new manual test programs, thus reducing time while maintaining adaptability.
2Reliability
If manual generation of test specifications and test program sets is used, then accuracy can be controlled, but labor and money resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating test specifications and test program sets through programmed algorithms that retrieve, instantiate, and translate test patterns. The system substitutes logical signal names with actual UUT signals and maps logical testing resources to specific drivers and hardware resources automatically, eliminating manual labor while maintaining accuracy through systematic and reproducible generation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual process of creating test specifications with an automated computer-based system. The mechanical actions of writing, copying, and adapting test programs are substituted by software algorithms that automatically retrieve test patterns from a database, perform substitutions based on configured mappings, and generate executable test programs, thereby eliminating labor while preserving accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual generation of test specifications and test program sets is used, then customization is possible, but time and productivity are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic adaptability by allowing flexible substitution of logical signal names with actual UUT signals and mapping of logical testing resources to different physical drivers and hardware resources. This dynamic configuration capability enables customization for different UUTs and platforms while maintaining high productivity through automated generation rather than manual customization for each configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A test specification and test program set for a given unit under test and a given automated test equipment platform is generated in an automated manner using information stored in a repository.