US 2006/0136783 A1 · Automatically reducing test program size

Abstract

Test program sequences of a quasi-minimum length which still produce a predetermined event are automatically generated by a genetic algorithm which requires that mutated programs continue to produce the predetermined event whilst favouring programs of a shorter length. Candidate test program sequences are mutated by removing respective randomly selected programs therefrom and then evaluated using an instruction set simulator, other simulator, real hardware or the like to detect whether the predetermined event is still produced. The predetermined event can take a variety of different forms, such as test failure, critical path stimulation, power consumption reaching predetermined levels, a temporal sequence of events, a concurrent combination of events or the like.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method of analyzing a test sequence of program instructions for an apparatus for processing data, said test sequence producing a predetermined event for said apparatus for processing data, said method comprising:

(i) forming a plurality of copies of said test sequence to serve as parent test sequences;
(ii) removing at least one program instruction from each of said parent test sequences to produce a plurality of candidate test sequences;
(iii) detecting if executing respective candidate test sequences continues to produce said predetermined event for said apparatus for processing data;
and
(iv) if at least one of said candidate test sequences continues to produce said predetermined event for said apparatus for data processing, then using said at least one of said candidate test sequences to form parent test sequences;
and
(v) repeating steps (ii), (iii) and (iv) until a termination condition is detected.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatically reducing test program size

Life of this patent

Automatically reducing test program size

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8