EP0067496A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Automatic test system
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1982-02-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-02-15
Abstract
Abstract A test system utilizing a plurality of programmable test instruments (52-58) each capable of executing portions of a test program with the test program being written in a compiler language such as ATLAS, for example. The central control processor (42) communicates with a plurality of instrument processors (44 to 50) utilizing a series of data busses. In executing the test program, the control processor first segments the program into a series of individual tests to be performed. The test instruments are interrogated to determine which of the test instruments is currently capable of executing a specific sequence of the test program. Once an instrument has been identified which can execute the program segment, the control processor transfers that segment to the instrument processor so that the instrument processor takes over the task of converting the ATLAS language command into an instrument dependent language. in addition to performing the basic test, each of the instrument processors also has access to the switching matrix (60-68) so that the required interconnects between the system being tested and the test instruments can be made under the control of the instrument processor thus liberating the control processor from the normal task of communicating with the switching matrix.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond Allen Lloyd
- 👤 Derek Bruce Eckert
- 👤 Theodore Bailey Stagg, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:09
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/319; G01R31/31903; G01R31/31907; G01R31/3183; G01R31/318342; G01R31/31912; G01R31/31917; G01R31/31926; G06; G06F; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/865
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
An automatic test system comprising a plural- i t y of programmable test instruments (44-58) each accepting a program specifying test to be performed; a control processor (42) communicating with said plurality of test instruments (44-58) via a data bus, characterized by the provision of interrogate means (44-50) for enabling said control processor (42) to interrogate each of said plurality of test instruments (52-58) to determine their status and capability.to perform specific tests; and means (44-50) for enabling said control processor (42) to instruct selected ones of said test instruments (52-58) to perform a specific test based on an analysis of a specific test to be performed and the capability of said interrogated test instrument (52-58) to perform test functions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
An automatic test system comprising a plural- i t y of programmable test instruments (44-58) each accepting a program specifying test to be performed; a control processor (42) communicating with said plurality of test instruments (44-58) via a data bus, characterized by the provision of interrogate means (44-50) for enabling said control processor (42) to interrogate each of said plurality of test instruments (52-58) to determine their status and capability.to perform specific tests; and means (44-50) for enabling said control processor (42) to instruct selected ones of said test instruments (52-58) to perform a specific test based on an analysis of a specific test to be performed and the capability of said interrogated test instrument (52-58) to perform test functions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
140 words
The automatic test system of claim 1 wherein said control processor (42) accepts a test program written in a compiler language, said plurality of programmable test instruments (44-58) being coupled to receive selected portions of said test program from said control processor (42), characterized in that said test instruments (44-50) convert said selected portions of the test program in the compiler language into an instrument dependent language, and a programmable switching matrix (62) is provided to selectively couple said plurality of test instruments (52-58) to selected terminals of connector means (60-68), said connector means (60-68) coupling said test system to a unit to be tested under control of its associated test instrument, said enabling means (44-50) enabling said control processor (42) to initiate a specific programmable test instrument to execute a test specified by a selected portion of said program.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The automatic test system of claim 2 wherein said enabling means (44-50) enables said control processor (42) to transfer portions of said program to a selected programmable test instrument, the selection being made as a result of said control processor (42)-interrogating said selected programmable test instrument.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
The- automatic test system of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said control processor (421 is a general purpose digital processor; each said. programmable test. instrument (44-58) comprising read only memory means for storing permanent programs coupled to communicate with said digital processor; a random access read/write memory for storing non-permanent programs and data coupled to communicate with said digital processor; and a test instrument (52-58) coupled to communicate with said digital processor; said switching matrix (62) being coupled to switch said test instrument to selected terminals of a unit under test under the control of said digital processor; each of said plurality of test instruments including a general purpose communication bus coupled to permit communication between said test instruments and said control processor thereby permitting a selected one of said test instruments to assume the function normally performed by said control processor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The automatic test system of claim 4 wherein each of said test instruments (52-58) has access to any terminal of the unit under test thereby permitting the test function of a selected test instrument to be reassigned to another test instrument having similar capabilities.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for operating a test system, comprising the steps of storing a test program written in a compiler language in a central control digital processor (42); coupling a plurality of programmable test devices (52-58), capable of executing test programs in said compiler language, to said digital processor (42); characterized by the steps of segmenting said compiler language program into segments under the control of said digital processor (42); transferring said program segments to one of said programmable test devices (44-50) for execution of the test specified by said segment, said transfer being under the control of said control processor (42); performing the test specified by said program segment under control of said programmable test device (44-50); and, transferring the results of said test from said programmable test device to said control processor (42).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for operating a test system, comprising the steps of storing a test program written in a compiler language in a central control digital processor (42); coupling a plurality of programmable test devices (52-58), capable of executing test programs in said compiler language, to said digital processor (42); characterized by the steps of segmenting said compiler language program into segments under the control of said digital processor (42); transferring said program segments to one of said programmable test devices (44-50) for execution of the test specified by said segment, said transfer being under the control of said control processor (42); performing the test specified by said program segment under control of said programmable test device (44-50); and, transferring the results of said test from said programmable test device to said control processor (42).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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