System and method for automatic test-setup hardware detection and extension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293969-B2
Application number	US-201916351095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2019
Priority date	Mar 12, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

This application is related to a measuring system and method for performing various measurement tasks. The measuring system comprises a test-setup configured to measure the characteristics of a device-under-test and an input-device of the test-setup configured to receive a test-case. The measuring system further comprises several measurement-hardware devices configured to perform the measurements according to the test-case. A computer unit of the measuring system is configured to determine at least one required hardware device on the basis of the test-case and to select the additional measurement-hardware devices. The computer unit is further configured to identify an adding of the selected additional measurement-hardware.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measuring system comprising:
a test-setup configured to measure the characteristics of a device-under-test,
an input-device of the test-setup configured to receive a test-case,
several one measurement-hardware devices configured to perform the measurements according to the test-case, and
a computer unit configured to determine at least one required measurement-hardware device on the basis of the test-case and to select any additional measurement-hardware devices,
wherein the computer unit determines the availability of the selected measurement-hardware devices in a measurement-hardware pool,
wherein the computer unit is configured to identify an adding of the selected additional measurement-hardware devices,
wherein a procurement of non-pool measurement-hardware is initiated by the computer unit in case of a lack of measurement-hardware in the pool, and
wherein a procured non-pool measurement-hardware device is added to the measurement-hardware pool.

2. The measuring system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the computer unit determines the availability of the selected measurement-hardware devices by combining at least two of the measurement-hardware devices listed in the measurement-hardware pool.

3. The measuring system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the computer unit determines the availability of a second test-setup meeting the required measurement-hardware and suggests the application of the second test-setup meeting the required measurement-hardware.

4. The measuring system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the computer unit for determining a required measurement-hardware is integrated in the test-setup.

5. A method for a hardware adaptation in a test-setup comprising:
receiving a test-case for the test-setup by an input-device of the test-setup;
determining required measurement-hardware devices on basis of the test-case by a computer unit;
comparing the required measurement-hardware devices with measurement-hardware devices of the test-setup;
initiating a procurement of non-pool measurement-hardware devices in case of a lack of measurement-hardware devices in a pool;
adding any procured non-pool measurement-hardware device to a measurement-hardware pool;
selecting any additional measurement-hardware devices;
determining the availability of the selected measurement-hardware device in a measurement-hardware pool by the computer unit; and
identifying an adding of the selected additional measurement-hardware.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
determining the availability of the selected measurement-hardware devices by combining at least two of the measurement-hardware devices listed in the measurement-hardware pool by the computer unit.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
determining the availability a of test-setup meeting the required measurement-hardware by the computer unit and
suggesting the application of a test-setup meeting the required measurement-hardware devices by the computer unit.

8. The method according to claim 5 ,
wherein the computer unit for determining a required measurement-hardware is integrated in the test-setup.

Assignees

• Rohde & Schwarz

Inventors

• Steffan Byron-Lim Timothy
• Wolanin Peter

Classifications

• G01R31/2834 Primary

  Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers (G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736) · CPC title

• G01R31/31907 Primary

  Modular tester, e.g. controlling and coordinating instruments in a bus based architecture · CPC title

• G01R31/31908

  Tester set-up, e.g. configuring the tester to the device under test [DUT], down loading test patterns · CPC title