Automatic part testing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11068368-B2
Application number	US-201916715831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 16, 2019
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

Automatic part testing includes: booting a part under testing into a first operating environment; executing, via the first operating environment, one or more test patterns on the part; performing a comparison between one or more observed characteristics associated with the one or more test patterns and one or more expected characteristics; and modifying one or more operational parameters of a central processing unit of the part based on the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of automatic part testing, the method comprising:
booting a part under testing into a first operating environment;
executing, via the first operating environment, one or more test patterns on the part;
performing a comparison between one or more observed characteristics associated with the one or more test patterns and one or more expected characteristics; and
modifying one or more operational parameters of a central processing unit of the part based on the comparison by applying an offset or a modification to a voltage frequency curve.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the one or more observed characteristics to one or more of a basic input/output system (BIOS) or a system management unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more observed characteristics comprise a failure state; and
modifying the one or more operational parameters comprises modifying the one or more operational parameters to avoid the failure state.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising booting the part into a second operating environment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second operating environment comprises an operating system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein booting into the first operating environment comprises loading the first operating environment from basic input/output system read-only memory (BIOS ROM).

7. An apparatus for automatic part testing comprising at least one processor and memory, the apparatus configured to:
boot a part under testing into a first operating environment;
executing, via the first operating environment, one or more test patterns on the part;
performing a comparison between one or more observed characteristics associated with the one or more test patterns and one or more expected characteristics; and
modify one or more operational parameters of a central processing unit of the part based on the comparison by applying an offset or a modification to a voltage frequency curve.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further configured to provide the one or more observed characteristics to one or more of a basic input/output system (BIOS) or a system management unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the one or more observed characteristics comprise a failure state; and
wherein modifying the one or more operational parameters comprises modifying the one or more operational parameters to avoid the failure state.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , further configured to boot the part into a second operating environment.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second operating environment comprises an operating system.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein booting into the first operating environment comprises loading the first operating environment from basic input/output system read-only memory (BIOS ROM).

13. A computer program product for automatic part testing, the computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform steps comprising:
booting a part under testing into a first operating environment;
executing, via the first operating environment, one or more test patterns on the part;
performing a comparison between one or more observed characteristics associated with the one or more test patterns and one or more expected characteristics; and
modifying one or more operational parameters of a central processing unit of the part based on the comparison by applying an offset or a modification to a voltage frequency curve.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the steps further comprise providing the one or more observed characteristics to one or more of a basic input/output system (BIOS) or a system management unit.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein:
the one or more observed characteristics comprise a failure state; and
wherein modifying the one or more operational parameters comprises modifying the one or more operational parameters to avoid the failure state.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the steps further comprise booting the part into a second operating environment.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the second operating environment comprises an operating system.

Assignees

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc

Inventors

• Mehra Amitabh
• Harwani Anil
• Alverson William R
• Ley Grant E
• Ahrens Jerry A
• Pratapgarhwala Mustansir M
• Swanstrom Scott E

Classifications

• G06F11/3668

  Testing of software · CPC title

• G06F11/263

  Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences {; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers} · CPC title

• G06F11/2289

  by configuration test · CPC title

• G06F11/2284

  by power-on test, e.g. power-on self test [POST] · CPC title

• G06F11/2236 Primary

  to test CPU or processors · CPC title