Method and apparatus for testing custom-configured software/hardware integration in a computer build-to-order manufacturing process

A build-to-order manufacturing method for producing a custom configured computer system comprising:

• assembling hardware in accordance with a customer order;
• testing the assembled hardware;
• downloading software to the assembled hardware in accordance with the customer order, the software including an operating system;
• and
• performing a fully integrated system test, the fully integrated system test including the execution of an operating system setup for fully integrating and testing the hardware and software of the custom configured computer system from a perspective of the operating system prior to shipment to a customer and automatically executing subsequent to the operating system setup, a software-based test module in accordance with the custom configured computer system being manufactured, being data driven, and having an input and an output, wherein the software-based test module input includes a system ID, a system configuration, a line of business, hardware components, software components, and expected deviations, the software-based test module further for testing the integration of hardware and software of the custom configured computer system and being adapted to uncover a configuration or functionality issue unable to be detected by the operating system and which results in the occurrence of a system integration problem, the configuration or functionality issue including a presence of at least one of an erroneous hardware component, an erroneous software component, and an interoperability between two components, and the software-based test module output including confirmation of proper component operation, logging of a device tree for the custom configured computer system, and confirmation of proper drivers being installed in the custom configured computer system.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• and
• a storage device, the computer system having been manufactured in accordance with a build-to-order manufacturing method including assembling hardware in accordance with a customer order, testing the assembled hardware, downloading software to the assembled hardware in accordance with the customer order, the software including an operating system, and performing a fully integrated system test, the fully integrated system test including a) the execution of an operating system setup configured to fully integrate and test the hardware and software of the custom configured computer system from a perspective of the operating system prior to shipment to a customer and b) the automatic execution, subsequent to the operating system setup, a software-based test module configured in accordance with the custom configured computer system, being data driven, and having an input and an output, wherein the software-based test module input includes a system ID, a system configuration, a line of business, hardware components, software components, and expected deviations, the software-based test module further being responsive to data at its input for performing testing of the integration of hardware and software of the custom configured computer system and further being adapted to uncover a configuration or functionality issue unable to be detected by the operating system and which results in the occurrence of a system integration problem, the configuration or functionality issue including a presence of at least one of an erroneous hardware component, an erroneous software component, and an interoperability between two components, the software-based test module further providing a corresponding test results data at its output, wherein the system ID includes a serial number for identifying the particular computer system being manufactured, the system configuration includes a listing of the hardware and software components of a customer order, the line of business includes the particular base unit identification of a given line of business for a particular desktop or notebook model, hardware components include those as ordered per the customer order, software components include those as ordered per the customer order, and expected deviations include prescribed deviations which can be expected for a particular type of computer system being manufactured.

A manufacturing method for producing a computer system comprising:

• assembling hardware in accordance with an order;
• testing the hardware;
• downloading software to the assembled hardware in accordance with the order, the downloaded software including at least an operating system;
• and
• executing a) an operating system setup for substantially integrating and testing the hardware and downloaded software from a perspective of the operating system prior to shipment to a customer and b) automatically executing, subsequent to the operating system setup, a software-based test module configured in accordance with the computer system being manufactured, being data driven, and having an input and an output, wherein the software-based test module input includes a system ID, a system configuration, a line of business, hardware components, software components, and expected deviations, the software-based test module being responsive to data at its input for performing a testing of the integration of hardware and downloaded software of the computer system and further being adapted to uncover a configuration or functionality issue unable to be detected by the operating system and which results in the occurrence of a system integration problem, the configuration or functionality issue including a presence of at least one of an erroneous hardware component, an erroneous software component, and an interoperability between two components, the software-based test module further providing corresponding test results data at its output.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory;
• and
• a storage device, the computer system having been manufactured in accordance with a manufacturing method including assembling hardware in accordance with an order, testing the assembled hardware, downloading software to the assembled hardware in accordance with the order, the downloaded software including an operating system, and performing a substantially integrated system test, the integrated system test including a) executing an operating system setup for integrating and testing the hardware and downloaded software of the computer system from a perspective of the operating system prior to shipment to a customer and b) automatically executing, subsequent to the operating system setup, a software-based test module configured in accordance with the custom configured computer system, being data driven, and having an input and an output, wherein the software-based test module input includes a system ID, a system configuration, a line of business, hardware components, software components, and expected deviations, the software-based test module responsive to data at its input for performing the testing of the integration of hardware and downloaded software of the computer system and further being adapted to uncover a configuration or functionality issue unable to be detected by the operating system and which results in the occurrence of a system integration problem, the configuration or functionality issue including a presence of at least one of an erroneous hardware component, an erroneous software component, and an interoperability between two components, the software-based test module further providing a corresponding test results data on its output, wherein the system ID includes a serial number for identifying the particular computer system being manufactured, the system configuration includes a listing of the hardware and software components of a customer order, the line of business includes the particular base unit identification of a given line of business for a particular computer model, hardware components include those as ordered per the customer order, software components include those as ordered per the customer order, and expected deviations include deviations that can be expected for a particular type of computer system being manufactured.