System testing using partitioned and controlled noise

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of functionally discrete circuits, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of functionally discrete circuits are configurable to function as:
• a circuit under test;
• at least one noise generator configured to generate noise in at least the circuit under test, wherein the noise comprises at least one or more rapid power supply load changes, wherein the noise causes one or more effects in the circuit under test, and wherein the noise is adjustable through a point of failure;
• and at least one noise monitor configured to monitor one or more effects of the noise generated in the circuit under test;
• and
• a test controller operatively coupled to the plurality of functionally discrete circuits and configured to:
• cause the at least one noise generator to apply a test to the circuit under test, wherein the test comprises generating the noise in at least the circuit under test;
• receive information from the at least one noise monitor indicative of the one or more effects of the noise generated in the circuit under test as a result of the test;
• determine one or more problems in at least one of a design feature and an operation of the circuit under test based on at least a portion of the information received from the at least one noise monitor;
• log the received information as data comprising one or more noise measurements, test pass information and test fail information;
• communicate with one or more other corresponding test controllers in one or more other corresponding systems to compare system-to-system conditions, wherein the one or more other corresponding test controllers are configured to function at least similarly to the test controller, wherein the one or more other corresponding systems are configured at least similarly to the system, and wherein the communication between the test controller and the one or more other corresponding test controllers is via at least one of a direct connection and a signal connection;
• and
• characterize the system with one or more performance characteristics based on comparing one or more system conditions and the logged data to an expected range of one or more results, the one or more performance characteristics comprising at least one of analog data perturbations and parametric data perturbations.

A method, comprising:

• designating, by a test controller for a first test scenario, at least one region under test from a plurality of regions of a system, wherein ones of the plurality of regions are partitioned from others of the plurality of regions;
• causing, by the test controller, application of a test to the region under test, wherein the test comprises generation of noise in at least the region under test by at least one noise generator, wherein the noise comprises at least one or more rapid power supply load changes, wherein the noise causes one or more effects in the region under test, and wherein the noise is adjustable through a point of failure;
• receiving, at the test controller, information from at least one noise monitor indicative of one or more effects of the noise generated in the region under test as a result of the test;
• determining, at the test controller, one or more conditions for the first test scenario based on at least a portion of the information received from the at least one noise monitor;
• logging, at the test controller, the received information as data comprising one or more noise measurements, test pass information and test fail information;
• communicating, using the test controller, with one or more other corresponding test controllers in one or more other corresponding systems to compare system-to-system conditions, wherein the one or more other corresponding test controllers are configured to function at least similarly to the test controller, wherein the one or more other corresponding systems are configured at least similarly to the system, and wherein the communication between the test controller and the one or more other corresponding test controllers is via at least one of a direct connection and a signal connection;
• and
• characterizing the system, at the test controller, with one or more performance characteristics based on comparing one or more system conditions and the logged data to an expected range of one or more results, the one or more performance characteristics comprising at least one of analog data perturbations and parametric data perturbations.