Patent Publication Number: US-2011049238-A1

Title: Test system and method for testing performance of a multi-card reader

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to test system and method, and particularly to a test system and method for testing the performance of a multi-card reader. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A multi-card reader is a device to communicate with multiple types of flash memory cards. Generally, for the purpose of ensuring the validity of data transferred by the multi-card reader, the performance of the card reader (e.g., the capabilities of a read-write function of the card reader) needs to be tested. Currently, testing is accomplished manually, which can result in the missing of testing some specific functions of the multi-card reader. Therefore, performance of the multi-card reader may not be assessed accurately. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a test system in communication with a multi-card reader. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the multi-card reader performance test system in the  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for testing performance of a multi-card reader using a test system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     All of the processes described below may be embodied in, and fully automated via, functional code modules executed by one or more general purpose computers or processors. The code modules may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in specialized computer hardware. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a test system  1  in communication with a multi-card reader  4 . In one embodiment, the test system  1  includes a main controller  2 , which includes a multi-card reader performance test system  20  and a storage system  22 . The storage system  22  may be a hard disk drive, a random access memory, a read only memory, a cache system, or a combination of the aforementioned hardware. The storage system  22  may store various kinds of data, such as test data, for example. 
     The test system  1  further includes a plurality of card interfaces  11 , a universal serial bus (USB) interface  12 , and a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs)  13 . The multi-card reader  4  includes a card interface  41  and a USB interface  42 . The USB interface  12  of the test system  1  communicates with the USB interface  42  of the multi-card reader  4  via a USB hub  3 . Each of the plurality of card interfaces  11  of the test system  1  may communicate with the card interface  41  of the multi-card reader  4 . The test system  1  and the multi-card reader  4  transmit data between the USB interface  12  and the USB interface  42  of the multi-card reader  4 . 
     The multi-card reader performance test system  20  controls the multi-card reader  4  to read the test data from the storage system  22 , tests performance of the multi-card reader  4  by comparing the read test data with the test data stored in the storage system  22 , to obtain a test result. 
     The multi-card reader performance test system  20  controls the LED  13  to display a predetermined color according to the test result. For example, if the multi-card reader performance test system  20  determines that the performance of the multi-card reader  4  is acceptable, the LED  13  shines green. Otherwise, if the multi-card reader performance test system  20  determines that the multi-card reader  4  is unacceptable, the LED  13  shines red. 
     The test system  1  also includes a processor  14 . The processor  14  executes one or more computerized operations of the test system  1  and other applications, to provide functions of the test system  1 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the multi-card reader performance test system  20  in the  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, the multi-card reader performance test system  20  includes an identification module  200 , a setting module  202 , a data read module  204 , a test module  206 , and a display module  208 . The modules  200 ,  202 ,  204 ,  206 , and  208  may comprise one or more computerized codes to be executed by the processor  14  to perform one or more operations of the test system  1 . 
     The identification module  200  identifies card types that the multi-card reader  4  can communicate with, and obtains a protocol of each card type. In one embodiment, the cards selected from the group consisting of smart media cards, secure digital cards, compact flash cards, multi-media cards, memory sticks, and extreme digital cards. The multi-card reader  4  may communicate with multiple card types. For example, the multi-card reader  4  may be able to communicate with both secure digital cards and the compact flash cards. Different cards work with different protocols, for example, the secure digital card use a secure digital card format protocol, and the compact flash card use a compact flash card format protocol. 
     The setting module  202  sets a protocol between the multi-card reader  4  and the test system  1  to one of the obtained protocols. For example, if the multi-card reader  4  can read data from the secure digital card and the compact flash card, the setting module  202  sets the protocol between the multi-card reader  4  and the test system  1  to the secure digital card protocol or the compact flash card protocol as needed. 
     The data read module  204  controls the multi-card reader  4  to read the test data from the storage system  22 , and sends the read test data to the multi-card reader test system  1 . In one embodiment, the test data may be a text file including random words. 
     The test module  206  tests the performance of the multi-card reader  4  by comparing the read test data and test data stored in the storage system  22 , to obtain a test result according to the comparison. For example, if the read test data is the same as the test data stored in the storage system  22 , the test module  206  determines that the multi-card reader  4  is acceptable. Otherwise, if the read test data is not the same as the test data stored in the storage system  22 , the test module  206  determines that the multi-card reader  4  is unacceptable. 
     The display module  208  controls the LED  13  of the test system  1  to display a predetermined color according to the test result. For example, if the multi-card reader  4  is acceptable, the display module  208  controls the LED  13  to shines green, or if the multi-card reader  4  is unacceptable, the display module  208  controls the LED  13  to shine red. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for test performance of a multi-card reader using a test system. 
     In block S 10 , the identification module  200  identifies card types the multi-card reader  4  can communicate with, and obtains a protocol of each type. 
     In block S 11 , the setting module  202  sets a protocol between the multi-card reader  4  and the test system  1  to one of the obtained protocols. 
     In block S 12 , the data read module  204  controls the multi-card reader  4  to read the test data from the storage system  22 , and sends the read test data to the multi-card reader test system  1 . 
     In block S 13 , the test module  206  tests performance of the multi-card reader  4  by comparing the read test data with the test data stored in the storage system  22 , to obtain a test result according to the comparison. For example, if the read test data is the same as the test data stored in the storage system  22 , the test module  206  determines that the multi-card reader  4  is acceptable. Otherwise, if the read test data is not the same as the test data stored in the storage system  22 , the test module  206  determines that the multi-card reader  4  is unacceptable. 
     In block S 14 , the display module  208  controls the LED  13  of the test system  1  to display a predetermined color according to the test result. For example, if the multi-card reader  4  is acceptable, the display module  208  controls the LED  13  to shine green, or if the multi-card reader  4  is unacceptable, the display module  208  controls the LED  13  to shine red. 
     Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.