Emulated USB Host Device for Automated Peripheral Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional testing methods for computing systems with multiple USB peripheral devices are prone to errors and require manual verification, which is time-consuming and inaccurate, especially when testing systems that require specific USB peripherals.
Innovation Solution
An emulating USB hardware device that can programmatically emulate a host connection, using a USB-to-serial interface chip and microcontrollers to configure bus signals, initiate frames, indicate device status, and relay packets between physical and emulated devices, allowing for automated testing of peripheral interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual data entry and verification procedures are used for each peripheral device, then testing can be performed with physical USB devices, but testing is time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of USB host devices that can be emulated in software. Instead of manually testing with physical USB devices, the system uses virtual machine instances that replicate host device behavior, allowing automated testing without manual intervention while maintaining testing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical testing procedures with automated software-based emulation. Virtual machine instances and automation frameworks substitute for manual data entry and verification, eliminating human error and significantly reducing testing time while improving reliability.
2Measurement precision
If physical USB devices are connected for testing, then device interaction can be verified, but manual verification is required for each device which reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal testing framework where virtual machine instances can emulate multiple different host device types. A single virtualization platform can test interactions with various USB devices by spawning different virtual host instances, eliminating the need for separate manual verification procedures for each device type.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing system performs self-verification through automated frameworks that automatically compare device interactions against expected behaviors. The virtual machine instances and automation software handle verification without human intervention, maintaining measurement precision while dramatically improving productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple physical USB devices are used for comprehensive testing, then all peripheral interactions can be tested, but the complexity of managing multiple devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple host device testing capabilities into a single virtualization platform. Instead of managing separate physical devices or separate testing systems for each peripheral type, the system combines all testing functions within unified virtual machine instances that can be programmatically controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual machine instances as intermediaries between the physical USB devices and the testing framework. These virtual instances act as mediators that simplify device management while maintaining full peripheral interaction capabilities, reducing system complexity by abstracting away the complexity of managing multiple physical devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for emulating a universal serial bus device is disclosed. An example embodiment may include an emulated USB (EUP) device that can emulate a host side of a USB connection. This device may have a microcontroller that is programmable with software to emulate a host connection of a physical USB device. In order to emulate a host connection of a USB device, the EUP device may configure USB host mode bus signals, initiate USB frames on the bus, indicate device status to an emulation process, and relay packets between a device and the emulation process.