Modular Test System Architecture Decoupling Software Hardware
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated test equipment (ATE) systems are expensive due to their specialized nature, leading to high development and maintenance costs, and are inflexible, making it difficult to adapt to new devices or incorporate new functionality without significant time and expense.
Innovation Solution
A modular test system architecture with an abstraction layer that decouples testing applications from hardware, allowing for the use of general-purpose components and enabling the creation of virtual instruments that provide a common interface, reducing the impact of hardware changes and facilitating the reuse of test programs across different hardware versions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized ATE systems are designed with tight coupling between software and hardware, then deterministic execution and reliability are improved, but development cost and system complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ATE system into distinct layers: a hardware abstraction layer that interfaces with physical instruments, a virtual instrument layer that provides standardized interfaces, and application software that performs testing functions. This segmentation allows each layer to be developed and modified independently, reducing the complexity of tight coupling while maintaining deterministic execution through controlled interfaces between layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual instruments as intermediary components between the application software and physical hardware. These virtual instruments act as mediators that translate high-level test commands into hardware-specific operations, eliminating direct tight coupling between software and hardware while preserving deterministic behavior through standardized communication protocols.
2Adaptability or versatility
If ATE systems are designed as specialized custom-built solutions, then testing functionality for specific devices is optimized, but development time and market responsiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal ATE platform using general-purpose computer hardware and standardized software components that can be configured to test various types of electronic devices. The modular architecture with reusable virtual instruments and standardized interfaces allows the same hardware platform to support multiple testing functions, eliminating the need to build custom systems for each device type and significantly reducing development time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements pre-configured virtual instruments and test modules that can be rapidly deployed for new device types. By preparing standardized testing frameworks and interfaces in advance, the system enables quick adaptation to new devices without requiring time-consuming custom development, thus reducing time-to-market while maintaining specialized testing capabilities.
3Ease of manufacture
If general-purpose components are used instead of specialized hardware, then system cost is reduced, but achieving deterministic execution becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces specialized deterministic hardware systems with a software-based virtual instrumentation layer running on general-purpose computers. By substituting mechanical/hardware determinism with software-controlled virtual instruments that enforce deterministic behavior through standardized interfaces and controlled execution environments, the system achieves reliability without requiring expensive specialized hardware.
4Adaptability or versatility
If existing test systems are modified to accommodate new devices, then adaptability is improved, but system stability and compatibility deteriorate due to tight coupling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic architecture where the virtual instrument layer can adapt to new devices while maintaining stable interfaces with existing application software. The system allows flexible configuration of virtual instruments to match new device requirements without modifying the core stable components, enabling adaptability while preserving system stability through clear separation of dynamic and stable elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is provided for performing processing in a test system. A flexible platform may be provided for developing test programs for performing automated testing. In one such platform, the tester and its instruments are isolated from the tester operating system, permitting any tester operating system to be used. In another example implementation, a user layer of the platform is isolated from the physical layer of the architecture, permitting hardware-independent test programs that can be created and used among different testers having different test hardware and software. In yet another implementation, execution of a test program is isolated from a tester platform operating system, permitting the test program to function independent from the tester platform. In another embodiment, functionality is implemented on the platform such that functions are only added, and that existing links to functions are not broken, ensuring continued test system operation when new software, hardware and/or features are added to the platform. The test system may include a non-deterministic computer system. In one example test system, the system forces execution of one or more computer instructions performed by the non-deterministic computer system to execute within a constant execution time. A deterministic engine, if necessary, waits a variable amount of time to ensure that the execution of the computer instructions is performed over the constant execution time. Because the execution time is constant, the execution is deterministic and therefore may be used in applications requiring deterministic behavior. For example, such a deterministic engine may be used in automated test equipment (ATE) applications.