Automated Firmware Build-Deploy-Test Environment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for developing, deploying, and testing firmware in complex data networks, such as utility meters, are time-consuming and inefficient, requiring extensive manual intervention and resulting in prolonged build-deploy-test cycles that increase costs and decrease efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An automated build-deploy-testing environment that generates and deploys firmware modules and testing environment modules based on hardware testing profiles, reducing manual intervention by automating the build, deployment, and testing processes, thereby shortening the cycle duration from weeks to hours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual methods are used for building, deploying, and testing firmware, then developers can maintain control over the process, but the build-deploy-test cycle duration increases to days or weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service through the firmware build-deploy-test cycle. The automated build environment automatically provisions testing environments, deploys firmware images, executes test suites, and generates test reports without requiring manual developer intervention for each step, thereby reducing cycle duration while maintaining process control through automated workflows
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with automated computational processes. Manual tasks such as configuring test servers, installing firmware, and executing tests are substituted with automated scripts and software agents that perform these operations programmatically, significantly reducing the time required for the build-deploy-test cycle
2Manufacturing precision
If manual testing procedures are used, then detailed testing can be performed, but the cost and time associated with upgrading firmware builds increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated system enables continuous testing operations where multiple firmware builds can be tested in sequence without interruption. The automated environment continuously provisions test instances, executes test suites, and generates reports, allowing parallel processing of multiple firmware versions and significantly improving productivity while maintaining comprehensive testing coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts testing parameters such as test suite selection, deployment configurations, and resource allocation based on the specific firmware build being tested. This allows the automated system to maintain detailed testing appropriate to each firmware version while optimizing resource usage and reducing overall testing time across multiple builds
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for automating the building, deployment, and testing of firmware are disclosed. An exemplary system includes a build-deploy-testing environment. The build-deploy-testing environment can access a hardware testing profile that includes hardware specifications for a test server, an operating system for a test server, an application for the test server to communicate with a test device, and a plurality of inputs for installing the operating system and the application on the test server. The build-deploy-testing environment can generate a firmware module compatible with a test device and a testing environment module for a test server based on the hardware testing profile. The build-deploy-testing environment can deploy the testing environment module to a test server and deploy the firmware module to a test device. The build-deploy-testing environment can execute a testing application to determine the compatibility of the firmware with the test device in communication with the test server.