Middleware for Transparent UI Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current user interface testing methods are inefficient due to redundant tests on unchanged UI components, leading to increased development and maintenance overhead, and the need for duplicated effort across different languages and platforms, making it difficult to automate compliance checks like accessibility validation.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of automatic WebDriver middleware that intercepts WebDriver commands, performs compliance checks such as accessibility validation transparently, and generates combined test results, allowing for intelligent detection of significant state changes to run additional checks only on altered UI portions, thereby reducing redundant testing and maintaining language and platform agnosticism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If compliance checks are added as part of UI functional testing workflow, then accessibility validation coverage is improved, but development and maintenance overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility validation coverageVSAvoiddevelopment and maintenance overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a middleware component that sits between the test framework and the user interface, automatically intercepting test commands and injecting compliance checks. This intermediary handles the complexity of integrating accessibility validation without requiring changes to existing test frameworks or libraries, thereby improving validation coverage while avoiding increased development overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting UI state changes and determining when compliance checks need to be triggered, eliminating the need for developers to manually track UI states and add checks at appropriate places. The middleware autonomously manages the integration of accessibility validation into the testing workflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If compliance checks are run against entire UI surface area, then validation coverage is improved, but test run time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalidation coverageVSAvoidtest run time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by performing compliance checks selectively on specific portions of the UI that have actually changed, rather than re-testing the entire UI surface area. The middleware detects state changes in specific UI elements and triggers compliance checks only for those altered portions, maintaining validation coverage while significantly reducing redundant testing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If compliance checks are manually integrated into testing workflow, then accessibility validation is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility validationVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically determines when compliance checks need to be triggered by monitoring UI state changes, eliminating the need for developers to manually track and add checks. The middleware self-manages the integration process, making accessibility validation easy to operate while maintaining comprehensive coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The middleware implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring UI state changes and using this information to dynamically determine when compliance checks should be executed. This feedback loop automates the decision-making process, improving ease of operation while ensuring validation is performed at the appropriate moments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Adaptability or versatility

If language-specific APIs and libraries are created for each supported language, then accessibility validation capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility validation capabilityVSAvoidduplicated effort and maintenance overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by creating a language-agnostic middleware that can intercept and handle test commands across different programming languages and frameworks. The middleware provides a unified interface for compliance checks that works with Java, JavaScript, and other languages without requiring separate API implementations, thereby maintaining accessibility validation capability while eliminating duplicated effort and maintenance overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11556461B2Middleware for transparent user interface testing

Publication Date: 2023.01.17 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

A method and apparatus for performing a user interface test by a middleware server including determining a state change of a portion of the user interface, receiving a test command indicative of a user interface functional test from a test interface, determining an auxiliary test associated with the test command, generating an altered test command requesting performance of the user interface functional test and the auxiliary test, transmitting the altered test command to the user interface, receiving a functional result from the user interface in response to the altered test command, generating an altered test result indicative of the functional result, and transmitting the altered test result to the test interface.