Patent ID: 8069012

Claim:
A computing device comprising: a processor controlling at least some operations of the computing device; and a memory storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform a method to calculate the sufficiency of a testing of a population comprising a predetermined number of items, said method comprising: identifying an acceptable failure rate for the population, wherein each item in the population is capable of being tested to determine whether the item is a passing item or a failing item based on a set of testing parameters; receiving a required confidence level corresponding to at least one of (a) a desired probability that the failure rate for the population is within the identified acceptable failure rate, or (b) a desired probability that the failure rate for the population is not within the identified acceptable failure rate; identifying a sample set of items in the population, wherein a size of the sample set is based on a desired testing precision; before the entire sample set of items is tested, receiving test results for a subset of the items in the sample set; based on the test results for the subset of items, calculating a probability that the failure rate for the population is within the identified acceptable failure rate; comparing the required confidence level to the calculated probability that the failure rate for the population is within the identified acceptable failure rate; based on said comparison, determining whether to test additional items in the sample set not included in the subset of items; and after the required confidence level has been exceeded, calculating and outputting data corresponding to a probability that, based on the received test results, the failure rate for the population is within the identified acceptable failure rate.