Patent Application
20080262759
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system manufacture, and more particularly to a system and method for automatically testing components used in the manufacture of information handling systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Testing the wide variety of components used in the manufacture of information handling systems presents a serious challenge. While the component manufacturers themselves may conduct tests, they often do so using widely variable methods, thereby creating inconsistent, non-repeatable manufacturing data and metric reports. Therefore, many manufacturers of information handling systems conduct their own tests of components to ensure consistency.
Historically, manufacturers have used customized test platforms that require the test components and interfaces to be reconfigured for each “device-under-test” (DUT). In some test environments, such as the testing of server blades, multiple power supplies are installed for each device under test when, in fact, a standard computer power supply could be used. Another problem with prior art testing systems relates to the inability to fully automate total network switching isolation for testing. Other examples of shortcomings of prior testing systems include the inability to easily change video graphics adapter (VGA) sources when there are multiple VGA connectors on a product to allow test and measurement of RGB (red-green-blue), horizontal synchronization, and vertical synchronization signals. In addition, AC wiring and fixtures are subject to quality issues and potential operator risks in most current testing systems. Prior art testing systems generally require the operator to rearrange wiring for each type of DUT.
As will be understood by those of skill in the art, the shortcomings of prior art testing systems has resulted in manufacturing inefficiencies. For example, when manufacturing orders suddenly increase, adding new testers to meet demand requires long lead times and re-engineering. Furthermore, there is currently no cost effective high current digital input/output (DIO) capability in prior art testing systems. In view of the foregoing, it is apparent there is a need for a universal test control box that can be easily adapted to serve in a multitude of testing environments.
The present invention provides a universal test system that can be easily adapted to a wide variety of testing environments. Embodiments of the invention comprise a single enclosure comprising a plurality of testing components and a universal interface that can be programmed to perform tests on a wide variety of DUTs. The universal testing system of the present invention comprises test information handling system comprising a power supply, a plurality to data processing and data storage devices and a test bed interface comprising a plurality of solid state AC relays, a plurality of video multiplexers, a plurality of network interface (NIC) multiplexers and a plurality of analog-to-digital converters. The test bed interface comprises standard digital input/output (DIO) modules, as well as high-current capable DIO to handle devices that require high current sink levels.
The test information system provided by the present invention offers numerous advantages. The system can be used in administering fixtured and non-fixtured test solutions for all server, storage, and client products. In addition, the system comprises a power supply that provides all fixture-specific power needs. Furthermore, the DUT power is controlled using digital I/O controlled high current AC relays. Because of the connector and port configuration, the system can be quickly and easily swapped in a factory environment.
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
a is a generalized diagram of a system for testing a component used in the manufacturing of information handling systems;
b is a block diagram of the test information handling system used in embodiments of the system and method of the present invention;
a is a perspective view of the front of a housing for the test system of the present invention;
b is a perspective view of the rear of a housing for the test system of the present invention; and
Embodiments of the system and method of the present invention provide significant improvements in the testing of components used to manufacture information handling systems. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
a is a general block diagram of a system for testing an information handling system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A test information handling system 100 is operably connected to a test bed interface 102, described in greater detail below, which is further connected to a test bed 104. The test bed comprises a plurality of electrical, mechanical and pneumatic components that are operable to subject the device-under-test (DUT) to a predetermined set of electrical, mechanical, and pneumatic tests. In various embodiments of the invention, the DUT comprises an identifier (IC) code that may be used to automatically configure the test information handling system 100 to perform a predetermined set of tests and to correlate the test results with a specific DUT. The test information handling system 100 is operably coupled to a server 106 and is operable to store test result data logs relating to the DUT at predetermined times during the testing sequence.
The DUT 106 test can be virtually any component of a circuit board that would be used in the manufacture of an information handling system. For example, the DUT may be a main system board 110 comprising a plurality of data processing components and a plurality of connectors and I/O ports, illustrated generally by reference numeral 112, that can be used to test proper operation of the components.
As shown in
The test bed interface 102 comprises two network interface (NIC) multiplexers that are operable to receive network protocol signals (e.g., Ethernet) and to extract plural network output signals therefrom. Network signals received at NIC 1 port 220 are processed by NIC multiplexer 222 to provide network output signals to network output ports 224 and 226. Likewise, network signals received at NIC 1 port 228 are processed by NIC multiplexer 230 to provide network output signals to network output ports 232 and 234. Operation of the LAN multiplexers 222, 230 are controlled by the CPLD 202.
Control signals and data signals are transmitted between the test bed interface and the test bed 104 via input/output connector 236. Digital input signals received from the test bed 104 via connector 236 are received in buffer 238 and transmitted to the CPLD 202 for processing. Digital control signals generated by the CPLD are provided to high-current switch module 240 to generate high-current outputs and to low-current switch module 242 to generate digital output that are provided to the test bed 104 via connector 236. The test bed interface 102 comprises two analog-to-digital (A/D) converters that are operable to process data transmitted between the CPLD and the test bed 104 via the connector 236. The various processing modules discussed hereinabove are capable of providing up to 13 external A/D channels 244, 246 (−10V to +10V) and 17 external digital I/O control channels.
The functional components of the universal testing system 100 and the test bed interface 102 described hereinabove are contained in a housing 300 shown in
A key-actuated switch 315 is connected to processing logic and power circuitry to enable the system to be started for debug operations. If a key is present in the switch, and the switch is in the “on” position, it cannot be removed. The system can then bypass the normal startup and can be powered-up to determine the status of debug operations.
The housing comprises a plurality of physical connectors that correspond to the various functional modules discussed in connection with
The features provided by the universal test system of the present invention allow the system to be used by operators having minimal training.
In the various embodiments of the invention described herein, the test information handling system 100 is operable to use various combinations of the test bed ID, the operator ID, the DUT ID and DUT revision information to select a predetermined test program to execute. The test program can be stored on various fixed storage devices in the test information handling system or it can be downloaded from a removable storage device or from the server 118 over a network connection.
In step 414, the action LED prompt is illuminated, thereby prompting the operator to press the “go” button in step 416 to initiate the test sequence. In step 418, the AC relay and the digital input/output modules power-on the device under test. In step 420, the DUT test diagnostics are performed using a test sequence provided by the removable storage device. The diagnostics are performed using the video multiplexers, the NIC multiplexers, the A/D converter, the digital input/output converter, the COM2 and COM3 ports, and the AC relay. In step 422, the test status is displayed using the video and network LEDs. In step 424, the AC relays and the digital input/output module are used to power down the DUT. Finally, in step 426, the data link between the network interface card and the server are used to log test results to the server. The test result log comprises the DUT identifier, an operator identifier and a test bed identifier.
The test information system provided by the present invention offers numerous advantages. The system can be used in administering fixtured and non-fixtured test solutions for all server, storage, and client products. In addition, the system comprises a power supply that provides all fixture-specific power needs (e.g., 12V, 5V, 3.3V, −12V). No additional power supplies are needed. The DUT power is controlled using digital I/O controlled high current AC relays. Because of the connector and port configuration, the system can be quickly and easily swapped in a factory environment.
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
