Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Carl E Benvenga

William Hobson Wubbena

Thomas R Fay

A method for diagnosing a degree of interference between a plurality of faults in a system under test, the faults being detected by means of applying a test suite to the system under test, includes: 1) for each of the plurality of faults, and for each of a plurality of test syndromes, where a test syndrome is a pattern of passing and failing tests of the test suite, determining relative frequencies at which particular ones of the faults are coupled with particular ones of the syndromes; and 2) using the relative frequencies at which particular ones of the faults are coupled with particular ones of the syndromes to calculate and display to a user, via a graphical user interface, and for the test suite as a whole, test suite degrees of interference between pairs of the faults. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for diagnosing a degree of interference between a plurality of faults in a system under test

In one embodiment, test execution times are determined for a plurality of tests that are to be executed for a single unit under test (UUT). Test dependencies are also determined for the tests, as are the instruments needed to execute the tests. Then, in response to the test execution times, the test dependencies, and the instruments needed to execute the plurality of tests, a plurality of different and synchronized test execution orders for the plurality of tests are developed. Each of the test execution orders specifies a sequence of tests that is to be executed for one of a plurality of UUTs that are to be tested in parallel; and, typically, the plurality of different test execution orders will be constrained to develop different test execution orders that optimize a total time to test the plurality of UUTs, a usage cost of instruments used to test the plurality of UUTs, or both. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for eliminating lower value tests for a unit under test, and for developing a plurality of different and synchronized test execution orders for testing a plurality of units under test

In a method for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments, a harness cable is electrically coupled to a plurality of test signal ports on the plurality of test system instruments. A first plurality of test measurements are then initiated via the harness cable, with the first plurality of test measurements being made between two or more sets of test ports that are on three or more of the instruments. The plurality of test measurements are captured from the test system instruments using a computer. The computer then indicates to a user whether ones of the plurality of test measurements are within defined ranges. A second plurality of test measurements, between ones of the plurality of test instruments and a test module, may also be initiated via the harness cable. Exemplary harness cable embodiments are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments

In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method 1) determines a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system; 2) retrieves an icon associated with each instrument (the icons being sized proportionally to the instruments they represent); 3) displays the icons within a GUI; and 4) graphically connects the icons within the GUI, in accord with the current configuration of instruments. In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method 1) determines a current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system; 2) retrieves an icon associated with each instrument (the icons being pictures of the instruments); 3) displays the icons within a GUI; and 4) graphically connects the icons within the GUI, in accord with the current configuration of instruments. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for displaying a current configuration of test instruments to a user

A current configuration of instruments which are connected in a user's test system is determined. The current configuration of instruments is then displayed within a graphical user interface (GUI) by 1) displaying icons representing the instruments, and 2) graphically connecting the icons.

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Carl E Benvenga