US 5,390,325 A · Automated testing system

Abstract

An object-oriented automated testing system and method tests program subroutines which operate on parameter data objects to generate results. Tests determine whether the subroutines meet design specifications provided by test engineers in the form of precondition objects and postcondition objects. The precondition objects comprise data invariant objects and functional precondition objects and are applied to a generated pool of candidate parameter data objects to check data syntax and data semantics, respectively before the parameter data is applied to the subroutines. Each parameter data object belongs to a predetermined data type and the precondition objects are written for generic data types and associated with each parameter data object during the testing process. The subroutines are run with the checked data by an automatically generated test program. After the subroutines have been run the results are checked for proper syntax and semantics by the postconditions to determine whether design specifications have been met.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A system for automated testing of a software program comprising parameter data and a subroutine operating on the parameter data to generate output data, the system comprising:

memory means for storing the software program and the parameter data;
processor means for controlling and coordinating the operation of the system and the memory means;
first invariant means responsive to parameter data stored in the memory means for generating a data consistent signal when the parameter data stored in the memory means is internally consistent;
precondition means responsive to the parameter data stored in the memory means and to the subroutine for generating a data valid signal when the parameter data stored in the memory means will operate with the subroutine without causing an error condition;
means responsive to the data consistent signal and to the data valid signal for running the subroutine with the parameter data stored in the memory means;
and
postcondition means responsive to the parameter data stored in the memory means and to output data generated by the subroutine from the parameter data stored in the memory means for determining whether an error occurred during operation of the subroutine.

4 more elements

An object-oriented system for testing whether a subroutine, operating on parameter data objects with internal data states to generate output data, meets design requirements, the system comprising:

memory means for storing the subroutine and the parameter data objects;
processor means for controlling and coordinating the operation of the system and the memory means;
first invariant objects responsive to parameter data objects stored in the memory means for selecting candidate parameter data objects with a correct data syntax to operate with the subroutine and meet design requirements;
precondition objects responsive to the candidate parameter data objects for selecting valid parameter data objects with correct data semantics to operate with the subroutine and meet design requirements;
means responsive to user commands for running the subroutine with the valid parameter data objects;
and
postcondition objects responsive to the valid parameter data objects and to output data generated by the subroutine from the valid parameter data objects for determining whether the subroutine met design requirements.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated testing system

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Automated testing system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12