RPA Robot Fuzzing for Workflow Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technologies face challenges in maintaining stability due to application and environment changes, lacking robustness in exception handling and resilience, leading to frequent bot failures.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a computer-implemented method for fuzzing workflows using RPA robots, which involves providing randomized data inputs, executing workflows as black boxes, and creating test cases when new paths are discovered, with the process terminating when desired path coverage is reached.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If RPA bots are implemented for process automation, then productivity and efficiency are improved, but stability and reliability deteriorate due to application changes and environment changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess automation efficiencyVSAvoidbot stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating test cases and executing them before deployment to identify potential issues with application changes and environment changes in advance, allowing proactive fixes before bots fail in production

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where test results from automated test case execution are used to detect stability issues, trigger alerts, and initiate corrective actions, enabling the system to adapt to changes and maintain reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If comprehensive test cases are created for all workflow paths, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow testing coverageVSAvoidtest case management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically generating test cases from workflow definitions and test data, eliminating the need for manual test case creation and reducing management complexity while achieving comprehensive coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a universal test case generation framework that handles multiple workflow paths, data types, and test scenarios through a single automated process, reducing complexity while maintaining comprehensive reliability coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If manual test case creation is performed for workflow testing, then testing accuracy is improved, but time consumption and labor cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetest case accuracyVSAvoidtest case creation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical process of manual test case creation with an automated computational system that generates test cases algorithmically from workflow definitions and test data, maintaining accuracy while eliminating time consumption and labor costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11797432B2Test automation for robotic process automation

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 UIPATH INC

AI summary

A robotic process automation (RPA) robot performs fuzzing on a workflow. The robot provides a randomized typed data input in a workflow, and executes the workflow as a black box with the randomized typed data input. The robot creates test case when a new path is discovered based on an output of the workflow, and terminates the fuzzing when a desired path coverage has been reached.