TWI537891B - Testing apparatus and testing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Test device and measurement method thereof

The present invention relates to a test apparatus, and more particularly to a test apparatus constructed using a network switch.

In complex research, or in the development of advanced technology products, or in the mass production process of the factory, the measurement of the electrical properties of the external device under test is quite necessary.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional test apparatus 100 as is conventional in the related art. Referring to FIG. 1 , the conventional testing device 100 includes a computer 110 , a plurality of test modules 120 , and a bus interface 130 . The test module 120 is configured to test the electrical characteristics of the device under test, such as the magnitude of the test voltage, the magnitude of the current, and the level and frequency of the signal. In addition, the test module 120 transmits the measured data to the computer 110 through the bus interface 130 for data collection and processing. The bus interface described above is, for example, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) interface or a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIE) interface. The measured data is transmitted to the computer 110 through the physical line through the bus interface interface 130.

In general, for the convenience of expansion, the method of transmitting data by using the bus interface interface is usually implemented by inserting an expansion slot of the bus interface interface in the form of an interface card, for example, inserting a PCI expansion card into a PCI expansion. The way of the slot. However, the interface card of this application method is lacking in stability and is not conducive to use in mobile. Moreover, the bus interface 130 (e.g. PCI/PCIE) has many and complicated pins, which is likely to cause noise interference. Further, since the computer 110 is subjected to a large number of pins of the bus interface 130 and occupies a large amount of resources arranged on the hardware routing, the computer 110 can use the bus interface to correspond to the number of the receiving test modules 120. Limited. On the other hand, the transmission of the bus interface 130 must be used with the computer 110 having the operating system and the driver software that can drive the bus interface 130. If the host that wants to receive the measurement data is located at the far end, it is also necessary to transmit the data to the remote host through the computer 110. As such, the complexity and cost of the measuring device 100 are further increased.

The invention provides a testing device and a testing method. The testing device directly transmits data through the network communication protocol and the device under test, and does not need to operate the expansion card through the computer host to operate, thereby making the device under test suitable for use in mobile, and saving The use of the computer host.

The invention provides a testing device comprising a network switch and N test modules. The plurality of test modules perform data transmission operations between the network communication protocol and the network switch, and the test module is coupled to the external test device and is used for measuring the electrical characteristics of the external test device to obtain the test. data. Where N is a positive integer.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the network switch receives the test data transmitted by the test module, and the network switch controls the flow status of the plurality of test materials, and transmits the test data to and The server to which the network switch is coupled.

In an embodiment of the invention, the test module includes a voltage tester, a current tester, a waveform measurer, and a logic signal analyzer.

In an embodiment of the invention, the test module performs a data transmission operation with a network switch by means of wired transmission or wireless transmission.

In an embodiment of the present invention, when the test module performs a data transmission operation through a wired transmission mode and a network switch, the test module passes through a shielded twisted pair (STP) and an unshielded twisted pair cable. (Unshielded Twisted Pair, UTP), fiber network route or media-dependent interface (MDI) is coupled to the network switch.

The present invention provides a test method, including: providing a network switch; providing N test modules, and the test module performs data transfer operations between the network switch and the network switch; and, by using the test module The external measuring device performs a test action, and measures a plurality of electrical characteristics of the external measuring device to obtain a plurality of test materials.

Based on the above, the present invention provides a measuring apparatus and method. The measuring apparatus includes a network switch and a plurality of test modules for transmitting data through a network communication protocol, thereby obtaining a plurality of electrical characteristics of the external measuring device, wherein the testing module The number is not limited by the hardware configuration. Moreover, the network switch itself can operate independently without the need to additionally operate the expansion card on the busbar to operate, which not only increases the stability of the test device, but also reduces the complexity and cost of the test device.

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.

2 is a schematic diagram of a test apparatus 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the test apparatus 200 includes a network switch 210 and N test modules 221 22 22N. The test apparatus 200 is configured to measure electrical characteristics for an external measuring device (not shown in FIG. 2). Where N is a positive integer.

In this embodiment, the network switch 210 is coupled to the server 230. When the test operation of the external device is performed, the test command can be sent to the test modules 221 22 22 through the network switch 210 through the human interface provided on the server 230. The test modules 221~22N transmit the test data measured by the external test device according to the test command to the network switch 210.

In this embodiment, the test modules 221 22 22N can measure various electrical characteristics of the external measuring device. For example, the test modules 221 22 22N can respectively perform voltage values, current values, and/or for the external measuring device. Or related data of the signal waveform. However, the measurable electrical characteristics of the present invention may include other types, but the type of electrical characteristics of the present invention is not limited to the above.

As described above, the test modules 221 22 22N can convert various electrical characteristics obtained for measurement by the external measuring device into test data in a digital format. Moreover, the test module 220 performs test data transmission operations through a plurality of ports of the network switch 210 according to the network communication protocol. The network switch 210 receives the test data from the test modules 221 22 22N, and transmits the test data to the server 230 through a network communication protocol. It is worth noting that since the amount of data of the test data measured by the test modules 221 22 22N may be quite large, the network switch 210 controls the flow status of the test data and uses all the tests. The data is transferred to the server 230.

In addition, the network switch 210 can also transmit information from the server 230 to at least one of the test modules 221 22 22N in addition to receiving and transmitting test data from the test modules 221 22 22N. For example, the network switch 210 can transmit a control instruction or a parameter during operation of the user at the server 230 end, and transmit it to at least one of the corresponding test modules 221 22 22N. one. Therefore, in addition to the control of the flow status of the test data, the network switch 210 needs to control the flow status of the data transmitted by the server 230 to the test modules 221 22 22N.

In the case where the network switch 210 simultaneously processes a plurality of pieces of data from the plurality of test modules 220 and the server 230, or simultaneously transmits the plurality of pieces of data to the plurality of test modules 220 and the server 230, refer to the following. instruction of. In detail, each test module 220 has a network-related module inside, and in order to communicate with the network switch 210 by using a communication protocol, the network-related modules of the test modules 221 22 22N are, for example, Including the respective Media Access Control address (MAC address) or physical address (physical address). Then, when data transmission is performed, the data is transmitted in the form of, for example, a packet, and when each of the test modules 221 22 22N and the server 230 transmits or receives data through the network switch 210, The physical addresses of the test modules 221 22 22 and the server 230 are encoded in the packet, so that the network switch 210 allocates packets to the test modules 221 22 22 and the server 230 according to the physical address allocation described above.

Further, each port in the network switch 210 can memorize the physical address of the corresponding test module. When each of the test modules 221 22 22N transmits a plurality of data to the server 230 through the network switch 210 , the network switch 210 allocates the bandwidth occupied by each port. In contrast, when the server 230 returns the data, the network switch 210 compares the physical address and transmits the data to the corresponding test module 220 through the corresponding physical address. In this way, the network switch 210 can effectively and independently complete the task of controlling the flow status of multiple test materials.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the test modules 221 22 22N can perform a data transmission operation with the network switch 210 by means of wired transmission or wireless transmission. The network switch 210 may have the function of wireless transmission alone, or may separately transmit data through the network transmission line and the test module 220, and may also combine some functions of wireless transmission and partial wired transmission, but the network of the invention The transmission function of the road switch 210 is not limited to the above.

In addition, when the test modules 221 22 22N perform data transmission operations with the network switch 210 through the wired transmission mode, the test modules 221 22 22N pass through, for example, Shielded Twisted Pair (STP), unshielded. An unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), a fiber optic network route, or a media-dependent interface (MDI) is coupled to the network switch 210. As described above, if the test modules 221 22 22N are connected to the network switch 210 using the UTP 100M network route, the transmission distance can reach 100 meters. If the test modules 221~22N use the fiber-optic network route as the transmission medium, the distance that can be transmitted can be extended to several tens of kilometers.

Incidentally, since the server 230 can receive the test data transmitted by the network switch 210 through the optical fiber network, the distance between the server 230 and the test device 200 can be unlimited. That is to say, in the embodiment of the present invention, the user can test the external measuring device set at the remote end through the server 230, and obtain the instant test data.

In addition, the server 230 can be constructed using a computing power computer. The server 230 is used to analyze the received test data, and the user can know the actual working state of the external device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a test apparatus 300 according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the testing device 300 includes a network switch 310, a plurality of test modules, and a server 330. In the depiction of FIG. 3, the test module includes a voltage tester 321, a current tester 323, a waveform measurer 325, and a logic signal analyzer 327. The voltage tester 321, the current tester 323, the waveform measurer 325, and the logic signal analyzer 327 are all coupled to the network switch 310 for measuring the external device 340.

In one embodiment of the invention, the voltage tester 321 and the current tester 323 can measure the measurement functions of large voltages and large currents, in order to be able to be applied to the external measuring device 340 of various electrical characteristics. For example, the voltage tester 321 can measure a voltage value ranging from about +60 volts (Vots, V) to -60 volts, and for example, the current tester 323 can measure the current value of the current up to about 100 amps (Ampere, A). .

In an embodiment of the invention, the waveform measuring device 325 is configured to measure the signal change on the external measuring device 340, for example, to measure the amplitude of the signal generated by the external measuring device 340, the magnitude of the frequency, and whether the frequency is attenuated. situation. Or the integrity of the measured signal measured by the external measuring device 340, whether it is affected by the impedance mismatch and the interference of the noise. In one embodiment, the waveform measurer 325 can measure a high frequency signal, such as a maximum sample bandwidth of the waveform measurer 325 when measuring a signal of 20 Ghz.

In an embodiment of the invention, in order to monitor the logic behavior of the external device 340 during operation, the logic signal analyzer 327 can be used to retrieve the logic state of the specific signal at a specific time, and the resulting logic state is 0, Logic state 1 is recorded even as a result of high impedance.

In an embodiment of the invention, the server 330 receives the test data returned from the measurement results of the voltage tester 321, the current tester 323, the waveform measurer 325, and the logic signal analyzer 327 through the network switch 310. The user can know the electrical characteristics of the external device 340 through the display of the server 330. In addition, the server 330 can further convert the received test data into, for example, a graphical chart, so that the user can easily understand the change in the electrical characteristics of the external device 340.

4 is a flow chart of a test method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4, first, a network switch is provided (step S410). Next, N test modules are provided, and the test module performs a data transfer operation between the network communication protocol and the network switch (step S420). Finally, the testing operation is performed by the test module to the external measuring device, and the plurality of electrical characteristics of the external measuring device are measured to obtain a plurality of test data (step S430). Wherein, the N test modules are provided, and the data transmission operation between the test module and the network switch through the network communication protocol further comprises the following steps: causing the network switch to receive the test data transmitted by the test module, and The network switch controls the flow status of the test data, thereby transmitting the test data to the server coupled to the network switch (step S421).

The detailed implementation manner of the testing method of this embodiment has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeatedly described herein.

In summary, the present invention provides a testing apparatus and method, which include a network switch and a plurality of test modules, and mutually transmit data through a network communication protocol. Since the network switch can operate independently without the need for an external computer controlled expansion card, the test apparatus of the present invention is suitable for use in mobile and saves the cost of the test apparatus. In addition, the network switch can control the circulation status of the test data, so that the data of several test modules can be received at the same time, and the number of test modules is not limited by the hardware configuration of the test device itself. Furthermore, the test module and the network switch are transmitted through wired or wireless means or other network related interfaces to meet different data transmission requirements.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100. . . Conventional test device

200, 300. . . Test device

110. . . computer

120. . . Test module

130. . . Bus interface

210, 310. . . Network switch

230, 330. . . server

221~22N. . . Test module

321. . . Voltage tester

323. . . Current tester

325. . . Waveform measuring device

327. . . Logic signal analyzer

340. . . External measuring device

S410, S420, S430, S421. . . step

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional test apparatus 100.

2 is a schematic diagram of a test apparatus 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a test apparatus 300 according to an embodiment of the invention.

4 is a flow chart of a test method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

200. . . Test device

210. . . Network switch

221~22N. . . Test module

230. . . server

Claims (5)

A test device includes a network switch; and N test modules, wherein the test modules perform data transmission operations between the network switch and the network switch, and the test modules are coupled And an external measuring device for measuring a plurality of electrical characteristics of the external measuring device to obtain a plurality of test data, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein the network switch is received by the test modules For the test data, the network switch controls the flow status of the test data, and transmits the test data to a server coupled to the network switch. The test device of claim 1, wherein the test modules comprise a voltage tester, a current tester, a waveform measurer, and a logic signal analyzer. The test device of claim 1, wherein each of the test modules performs a data transmission operation with the network switch by means of wired transmission or wireless transmission. The test device of claim 3, wherein each test module transmits a data transmission operation to the network switch through a wired transmission mode, and each test module passes through a shielded twisted pair (Shielded Twisted Pair, STP), Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), fiber network route, or media-dependent interface (MDI) is coupled to the network switch. A test method that includes: Providing a network switch; providing N test modules, the network switch receiving a plurality of test data transmitted by the test modules through a network communication protocol, and controlling by the network switch Controlling the flow status of the test data, thereby transmitting the test data to a server coupled to the network switch; and performing test actions on an external test device by the test modules A plurality of electrical characteristics of the external measuring device are measured to obtain the test data.