Testing system interconnections using dynamic configuration and test generation
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsFrank W. Angelotti, Wayne A. Britson, Steven M. Douskey, Kerry T. Kaliszewski, Michael A. Weed
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Abstract
An electronics systems having variable interconnections among major components is tested by dynamically identifying the locations and types of all system components at the time the test is to be performed, for building a global model describing the interconnections among these components. Specific tests appropriate for this model are then dynamically generated and executed. Data on the components themselves identifies them. The tests employ boundary-scanning techniques to locate failing drivers, receivers, and bidirectional driver/receivers, as well as open and shorted interconnections.
Claims19
A method for dynamically testing an interconnection structure among components in a variable configuration of an electronics system, said method comprising:
- (a) initiating a system interconnect test at a certain time;
- (b) substantially at said certain time, reading component data stored within said system, said component data including product type and interconnect structure description of each of said components within said system;
- (c) constructing from said component data a global model specifying said interconnection structure existing within said system at said certain time;
- (d) creating from said global model a set of test data and expected result data for checking said interconnection structure;
- (e) applying said test data to said components to produce actual result data representing the condition of said interconnection structure;
- (f) comparing said actual result data with said expected result data;
- (g) diagnosing a failure in said interconnection structure if said actual result data differs from said expected result data.
An electronics system, comprising:
- (a) an interconnect structure having a plurality of locations, and further including functional wiring and test wiring coupling said locations to each other;
- (b) a plurality of components removably connected to said interconnect-structure locations in a variable configuration, each of said components having associated product type data and interconnect structure descriptions stored in said system for identifying how said each component couples to said functional wiring, and further including a set of latches coupled both to said functional wiring and to said test wiring, the latches of different components coupled together through said functional wiring defining a set of variable nets;
- (c) a service processor coupled to said interconnect structure and having means for constructing a global model of said nets from said product type data and said interconnect structure descriptions, means for generating test vectors and expected result vectors conforming to said global model, means for applying said test vectors to said latches and for receiving actual result vectors via said test wiring, and means for comparing said actual result vector with said expected result vector to produce a test report.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.