Patent Publication Number: US-2021176159-A1

Title: Hardware architecture for universal testing system: cable modem test

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/415,604, filed May 17, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/929,180, filed Oct. 30, 2015 which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. 
     This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/866,630, filed Sep. 25, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,960,989, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/866,720, filed Sep. 25, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,810,735, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/866,752, filed Sep. 25, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,122,611, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/866,780, filed Sep. 25, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,491,454, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/929,220, filed Oct. 30, 2015 and published May 4, 2017 as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0126537, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/948,143, filed Nov. 20, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,992,084. and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/948,925, filed Nov. 23, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,838,295, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/987,538, filed Jan. 4, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,900,116. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is directed to a system for testing devices. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a high-level hardware architecture of a universal testing system for cable modem tests, according to certain embodiments. 
         FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  are high-level schematics of a front view of a set of Faraday cages of a universal testing system, according to certain embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  is a high level schematic that illustrates the connectivity features of backplates (also referred to as backplanes) of physical slots to test servers, according to certain embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  is a high-level schematic of connectivity of a given DUT with a MOCA LAN harness and a MOCA WAN harness, according to certain embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  is a high-level schematic that illustrates an FXO test hardware setup, according to certain embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  is high-level schematic that illustrates a CMTS test harness associated with the FXO test hardware setup, according to certain embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Methods, systems, user interfaces, and other aspects of the invention are described. Reference will be made to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to these particular embodiments alone. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents that are within the spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 
     Moreover, in the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these particular details. In other instances, methods, procedures, components, and networks that are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art are not described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a high-level hardware architecture of a universal testing system for cable modem tests, according to certain embodiments.  FIG. 1  shows a test station  100  that includes a test control computer  102  (test controller), a plurality of test servers  104   a - 104   n , a foreign exchange office (FXO) server  140 , non-limiting examples of user interfaces that can include touch screen display  106 , bar code scanners/keyboard/mouse ( 112 ), a remote tablet  108 . Each of the plurality of test servers  104   a - 104   n  is associated with four physical test slots which are Faraday cages. In each physical test slot can be installed a device (e.g., wireless router) to be tested. Each installed device in the various physical slots is also referred to as a device under test (DUT). For ease of explanation and to avoid overcrowding the drawing of  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  shows only one of the Faraday cages  114 . Each Faraday cage/test slot  114  is associated with a cable modem termination system (CMTS)  120 , a MOCA LAN harness  122  and a radio frequency (RF) splitter  124 . According to certain embodiments, MOCA LAN harness  122  is connected to RF splitter  124  via RF cable  126   b  and CMTS  120  is connected to RF splitter  124  via RF cable  126   a . RF splitter  124  is connected to Faraday cage/test slot  114  via COAX cable  126   c . Faraday cage/test slot  114  has Ethernet connections  116  to its associated test server. MOCA LAN harness  122  also has an Ethernet connection  129  to the associated test server. CMTS  120  also has an Ethernet connection  128  to the FXO server via local router  142 . Test control computer  102 , test servers  104   a - 104   n , and FXO server have a LAN  130  (Local Area Network) connection to a firewall/gateway/router  110 , which in turn is connected to a WAN  132  (Wide Area Network). A user can optionally use remote wireless tablet  108  to interface with test station  100  remotely through a wireless communication  134  to firewall/gateway/router  110 . Further FXO server  140  is connected to Faraday cage/test slot  114  via telephony cable  144 , according to certain embodiments. 
     According to certain embodiments, the firewall isolates the test framework of the testing system. 
     According to certain embodiments, the CMTS is used for testing DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) device registration and data throughput. 
     According to certain embodiments, the testing system comprises at least one test station. According to certain embodiments, each test station includes a plurality of Faraday cage/test slots for testing devices. As a non-limiting example, a subset of the plurality of physical slots is associated with corresponding test servers. As a non-limiting example, a test station may have a plurality of test servers, each of which is associated with four Faraday cages/physical test slots. The number of test servers and physical slots may vary from implementation to implementation. According to certain embodiments, each test server includes virtualization containers that act as probes for testing devices installed in the physical slots in the test station. 
     According to certain embodiments, several wireless devices can be tested simultaneously in the test station. 
     According to certain embodiments, the user interface can communicate through web sockets with the test system. Such communication is in real-time, bi-directional and asynchronous so that the user can control and monitor the testing of multiple devices simultaneously and independently of each other using the same universal testing system. 
     According to certain embodiments, the testing system is capable of testing a set of similar types of devices or a set of disparate devices. 
     According to certain embodiments, test controller  102  is a computer subsystem that manages the user interfaces of the testing system. Thus, at least the following devices are connected to test controller  102 : touch screen display  106 , and bar code scanners/keyboard/mouse  112 . 
     According to certain embodiments, touch screen display  106  is a touch-enabled screen that senses user/operator inputs for a given DUT. For example, each DUT is represented on the touch screen display as a window that includes test related information such as test progress and test results. As another non-limiting example, a user/operator can use touch screen display  106  to input light emitting diode (LED) status (is the LED lit or not lit) when the user/operator is prompted for inputs as part of the testing procedure of a given DUT. 
     According to certain embodiments, one or more the bar code scanners  112  can be used to read DUT information such as serial number of the DUT, and default Wifi passwords associated with the given DUT. Such information is needed to conduct testing on the given DUT. 
     According to certain embodiments, test controller  102  includes an Ethernet interface to connect to the plurality of test servers  104   a - 104   n . Test controller  102  communicates with the plurality of test servers  104   a - 104   n  using such an Ethernet interface in order to conduct tests on the various DUTs that are installed in test station  100 . 
     According to certain embodiments, keyboard/mouse  112  are part of test controller  102  and can be used by the user/operator to input data needed to run the tests on the various DUTs installed in test station  100 . 
     According to certain embodiments, each test server of the plurality of test servers  104   a - 104   n  provides interfaces (hardware ports) needed to conduct one or more tests on the DUTs. Depending on the type of test, a given test may need a single port or multiple ports as part of the test infrastructure. According to certain embodiments, such ports are controlled by virtualization containers at the test servers. 
     According to certain embodiments, a given test server includes the following devices: PCI/PCI Express/Mini PCI Express slots, Ethernet connectivity hardware and software. 
     According to certain embodiments, the PCI/PCI Express/Mini PCI Express slots allow Wifi cards to be installed on a given test server to provide Wifi connectivity in order to perform Wifi tests on the DUTs. Such slots can also be used to install Ethernet cards to provide Ethernet ports in order to perform tests on the DUTs. According to certain embodiments, such PCI/PCI Express/Mini PCI Express slots can host a set of ports that can be associated with a corresponding set of virtualization containers on the test servers. Such virtualization containers are used for testing various features on the DUTs such as Wifi, LAN, WAN, or MOCA interfaces of a given DUT. 
     According to certain embodiments, the voice port associated with the FXO card is used for testing VoIP connection and functions. 
     According to certain embodiments, Ethernet connectivity hardware and software are provided in order to connect the test controller computer to the plurality of test servers for controlling the plurality of test servers. 
     According to certain embodiments, the test servers run test scripts to perform one or more tests such as: 1) testing Ethernet data throughput speeds, 2) testing WiFi throughput speeds, 3) testing MOCA throughput speeds, 4) testing voice over IP (VOIP) connections and functions, 5) testing MIMO (multi input, multi output) antenna technology, according to certain embodiments. According to certain embodiments, the test servers use virtualization containers to run such tests. 
       FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  are high-level schematics of a front view of a set of Faraday cages/test slots of a universal testing system, according to certain embodiments.  FIG. 2A  shows a number of physical slots, such as slots  202   a ,  202   b ,  202   c ,  202   d ,  204   a ,  204   b ,  204   c ,  204   d . Each slot has a backplate ( 202   ab ,  202   bb ,  202   cd ,  202   db ,  204   ab ,  204   bb ,  204   cd ,  204   db ). Backplates are also known as backplanes. 
     Similarly,  FIG. 2B  shows a number of physical slots, such as slots  206   a ,  206   b ,  206   c ,  206   d ,  208   a ,  208   b ,  208   c ,  208   d . Each slot has a backplate ( 206   ab ,  206   bb ,  206   cd ,  206   db ,  208   ab ,  208   bb ,  208   cd ,  208   db ). Sample backplates are described herein with reference to  FIG. 3  herein. 
       FIG. 3  is a high-level schematic that illustrates the connectivity features of backplates of physical slots relative to test servers, according to certain embodiments. For ease of explanation,  FIG. 3  shows the connectivity of one backplate of the plurality of backplates to one test server of the plurality of test servers in the universal testing system, according to certain embodiments. As previously described, there are a plurality of test servers and a plurality of slots (and corresponding backplates) per test server, according to certain embodiments. 
       FIG. 3  shows a backplate  302  associated with a give slot that is, in turn, associated with a test server  304  in the universal testing system. Backplate  302  includes but is not limited to a power supply port  306 , a set of ports  308 , a subset of which are Ethernet ports  308   a , a set of coaxial ports  310 , a set of voice ports  312 , and a set of Wifi ports ( 314 ,  316 ). Server  304  includes but is not limited to a master Internet port  330 , a set of Ethernet card ports  332   a - g , of which 4 ports ( 332   a - d ) are Ethernet LAN ports, one Ethernet MOCA LAN port  332   e , one Ethernet MOCA WAN port  332   f , and one DUT WAN port  332   g . Test server  304  also includes a set of WiFi card ports  340   a - d . One or more of the WiFi card ports  340   a - d  can be associated with a Wifi virtualization container on test server  304  for use in Wifi tests of the DUT, according to certain embodiments. 
     According to certain embodiments, port P 3  of Ethernet ports  308   a  is associated with port P 1  of Ethernet card ports  332   a . Similarly, port P 4  of Ethernet ports  308   a  is associated with port P 2  of Ethernet card ports  332   a . Port P 5  of Ethernet ports  308   a  is associated with port P 3  of Ethernet card ports  332   a . Port P 6  of Ethernet ports  308   a  is associated with port P 4  of Ethernet card ports  332   a.    
     According to certain embodiments, Wifi port  314  is associated with an antenna  314   a  and is also associated with port P 2  of Wifi card port  340   d  via Wifi cable  314   b , for example. Wifi port  316  is associated with an antenna  316   a  and is also associated with port P 1  of Wifi card port  340   d  via Wifi cable  316   b.    
     According to certain embodiments, a given DUT that is installed in a given slot is connected via coaxial ports  310  to the MOCA WAN Ethernet port ( 332   f ) and MOCA LAN Ethernet port ( 332   e ) via a corresponding MOCA WAN harness and a MOCA LAN harness, described in greater detail below. 
       FIG. 4  is a high-level schematic of connectivity of a given DUT (installed in a given slot) to a MOCA LAN harness and a MOCA WAN harness, according to certain embodiments.  FIG. 4  shows MOCA WAN harness  120  and MOCA LAN harness  122  that are used for testing the MOCA WAN interface and the MOCA LAN interface, respectively, of DUT  402 . MOCA WAN harness  120  and MOCA LAN harness  122  are connected to a power splitter  124  via RF cable  126   a  and RF cable  126   b , respectively, according to certain embodiments. Power splitter  124  connects the MOCA LAN and MOCA WAN to DUT  402  via ale RF cable  126   c . According to certain embodiments, MOCA WAN harness  120  is also connected via Ethernet cable  128  to an Ethernet port  412  of a test server, where such an Ethernet port  412  is associated with a virtualization container on the test server. Similarly, MOCA LAN harness  122  is also connected via Ethernet cable  129  to an Ethernet port  408  of a test server, where such an Ethernet port  408  is associated with a virtualization container on the test server, according to certain embodiments. Further, DUT  402  is also connected to the test server via RF cable  418  to an Ethernet port  410  of the server that is associated with a virtualization container. 
     For example, test information (and/or other related information) can flow from Ethernet port  410  (and associated virtualization container) to DUT  402  and then to the MOCA LAN interface of MOCA LAN harness  122  and then to Ethernet port  408  (and associated virtualization container). Test information (and/or other related information) can also flow from Ethernet port  408  (and associated virtualization container) to the MOCA LAN interface of MOCA LAN harness  122 , and then to DUT  402 , and then to Ethernet port  410  (and associated virtualization container). 
     Similarly, test information (and other related information) can flow from Ethernet port  410  (and associated virtualization container) to DUT  402  and then to the MOCA WAN interface of MOCA WAN harness  120  and then to Ethernet port  412  (and associated virtualization container). Test information (and/or other related information) can also flow from Ethernet port  412  (and associated virtualization container) to the MOCA WAN interface of MOCA WAN harness  120 , and then to OUT  402 , and then to Ethernet port  410  (and associated virtualization container). 
       FIG. 5  is a high-level schematic that illustrates an FXO test hardware setup, according to certain embodiments.  FIG. 5  shows a OUT  502 , a phone port  504  of OUT  502 , a phone port  506  at a given test server. An FXO card is installed at the given test server. Such an installed FXO card provides the phone port  506  that can be connected to phone port  504  of OUT  502 . Further, phone port  506  is also associated with a virtualization container  508 , according to certain embodiments. Such a virtualization container can make phone calls to the OUT. According to certain embodiments, OUT  502  may be placed inside a Faraday cage/test slot of the testing system. 
       FIG. 6  is high-level schematic that illustrates a CMTS test harness associated with the FXO test hardware setup, according to certain embodiments.  FIG. 6  shows OUT  602 , power splitter  604 , MOCA RF filter  606 , RF Tap  608 , combiner  610 , MOCA LAN harness  612 , CMTS  614 , virtualization container associated with Ethernet port  616  and virtualization container associated with Ethernet port  618 . CMTS  614  is connected to combiner  610  via RF cable ( 636 ,  634 ). Combiner  610  is connected to RF Tap  608  via RF cable  632 . RF Tap  608  is connected to MOCA RF filter  606  via RF cable  630 . MOCA RF filter  606  is connected to power splitter  604  via RF cable  628 . Ethernet port  616  on a given test server is connected to MOCA LAN harness  612  via Ethernet cable  622 . MOCA LAN harness  612  is connected to power splitter  604  via RF cable  626 . Power splitter  604  is connected to DUT  602  via RF cable  624 . DUT  602  is connected to Ethernet port  618  on the test server via Ethernet cable  620 . 
     According to certain embodiments, the CMTS test harness enables the DUT to respond to test phone calls from the MOCA interface and which test phone calls terminate at the DUT&#39;s phone port. According to certain embodiments, when the DUT is powered up, the CMTS is configured to provide IP addresses for the session initiation protocol (SIP) server running on the DUT. 
     As a non-limiting example, a telephone call path flows from Ethernet port  616  on the test server to MOCA LAN harness  612  via Ethernet cable  622  and then to power splitter  604  via RF cable  626 , and then to DUT  602  via RF cable  624 , and then to Ethernet port  618  on the test server via Ethernet cable  620 . 
     In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.