Embedded Controller Testing via Virtual Subsystem Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration and testing of control systems with embedded controllers are challenging due to the complexity and cost of components, which leads to difficult and time-consuming integration, and costly rework when errors are found, especially since components are developed in phases and have limited availability during development.
Innovation Solution
A testing architecture that simulates messaging interfaces and behaviors of internal and external subsystems, allowing for comprehensive testing and integration of embedded controllers without requiring all actual subsystems, using simulated representations and data files to define behaviors and scenarios, and supporting automated and real-time simulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all actual subsystems are used for testing, then testing completeness is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of actual subsystems through virtual machine instances. Each virtual subsystem replicates the behavior and interface of the physical subsystem it represents, allowing the embedded controller to be tested against multiple virtual subsystems simultaneously without requiring all physical subsystems to be present. This resolves the contradiction by providing testing completeness through virtual representations while avoiding the complexity and cost of deploying all actual subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal testing platform that can host multiple different types of virtual subsystems through a common virtual machine infrastructure. The same testbed system can be configured to test against various subsystem types (sensors, actuators, communication modules) by loading appropriate virtual machine images, eliminating the need for separate physical test setups for each subsystem type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If components are developed in phases, then development flexibility is improved, but integration and testing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary testing of the embedded controller against virtual subsystems before the actual subsystems are fully developed or available. Developers can create virtual representations of future subsystems and begin integration testing early in the development cycle, identifying interface issues and integration problems before physical components are ready, thus reducing later integration difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual subsystem instances act as intermediaries between the embedded controller under test and the actual physical subsystems that are not yet available. These virtual intermediaries provide the necessary interface and behavior simulation, allowing the controller to be developed and tested in parallel with subsystem development without direct dependency on physical components.
3Reliability
If comprehensive system testing is performed, then error detection capability is improved, but time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated periodic testing where the embedded controller is systematically tested against multiple virtual subsystems in sequence. The testbed can automatically cycle through different virtual subsystem configurations, running comprehensive test suites against each, which detects errors across all subsystem interfaces without requiring manual reconfiguration for each test case.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system performs self-service through automated test execution and result analysis. The virtual machine infrastructure automatically manages the provisioning, configuration, and teardown of virtual subsystem instances based on test requirements, eliminating the need for manual setup and reducing testing time while maintaining comprehensive error detection capability.
4Reliability
If actual subsystems are used during development, then testing realism is improved, but availability and cost decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of actual subsystems that maintain the same interface protocols, data formats, and behavioral characteristics as the physical subsystems. These virtual instances provide realistic testing conditions for the embedded controller without requiring the physical subsystems to be available, allowing parallel development of controllers and subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual subsystem instances can have their parameters and behaviors dynamically adjusted to match different operating conditions and edge cases. This allows comprehensive testing of the embedded controller under various realistic scenarios without the constraints of actual hardware limitations, improving both testing realism and subsystem availability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods described herein provide for testing and debugging different subsystems of an embedded controller using a testing architecture. The testing architecture can simulate messaging interfaces between internal subsystems of the embedded controller and external subsystems the controllers interacts with to integrate various types of software. A method includes generating test support models for one or more subsystems and establishing a communications network between the test support models and a control module of the embedded controller. A clock signal is generated to initiate processing within the testing architecture between the control module and the test support models. An event model is executed at the test support models using the clock signal and data is generated at one or more of the test support models responsive to the event model. The data can correspond to operational parameters of a respective system the embedded controller.