Method and apparatus for incremental load simulation

In a digital processing, telecommunication, or telephone control system, apparatus for simulating an overload state and testing the performance of the system in the simulated overload state, comprising:

• control means resonsive to requests for service for executing system tasks;
• and
• manually controllable interrupt signal generating means for generating interrupt signals at a manually adjustable rate;
• said control means responsive to said interrupt signals for simulating an overload state by preventing the execution of system tasks for a percentage of time directly proportional to the rate of said interrupt signals;
• said control means comprising clock means and operative under program control for testing system performance by measuring the time required by said system to respond to task execution demands.

In a digital processing, telecommunication, or telephone control system having a processor executing system tasks in response to task execution demands, a method of controllably driving said system into an overload state by depriving said system of a sufficiently large percentage of time for the execution of requested system tasks, comprising the steps of:

• generating interrupt signals at a manually adjustable controllable rate;
• halting the execution of said system tasks by said processor for a specified period of time in response to each of said interrupt signals, thereby preventing execution of system tasks for a percentage of time directly proportional to the rate of said interrupt signals;
• and
• testing system performance by measuring the time required to respond to requests for service.

In a digital processing, telecommunication, or telephone control system executing system tasks in response to task execution demands, a method of controllably driving said system into an overload state by depriving said system of a sufficiently large percentage of time for the execution of system tasks, comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of interrupt signals at a manually adjustable controllable rate during a specified time period;
• halting the execution of said system tasks for a predetermined period of time in response to each of said interrupt signals thereby preventing execution of system tasks for a percentage of time directly proportional to the rate of said interrupt signals;
• and
• measuring time not required for system task execution and halting in response to said interrupt signals during said specified time period.

In a digital processing, telecommunication, or telephone control system executing system tasks in response to system inputs, a method of controllably driving said system into an overload state by depriving said system of a sufficiently large percentage of time for the execution of requested system tasks, comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of interrupt signals at a manually adjustable controllable rate during a specified time period;
• halting the execution of said system tasks for a predetermined period of time in response to each of said interrupt signals thereby preventing execution of system tasks for a percentage of time directly proportional to the rate of said interrupt signals;
• detecting the time of occurrence of system inputs;
• detecting the time of response to said system inputs;
• subtracting said time of occurrence from said time of response;
• and
• controlling a display for displaying result of said subtraction.