Patent ID: 8145966

Claim:
A remote testing system, comprising: a control system linked by communications links to a plurality of distributed relational databases, each database being associated with a test development entity and storing information about products specific to that test development entity, the information including at least one of equipment model data, historic performance data and logistical data specific to respective products; a device to be tested remote from the control system; and a test system local to the device, the test system being connectable to the device to perform device testing and being configured to carry out synthetic measurements on the device to be tested based on information from the control system; the control system being arranged to establish a satellite communications link with the test system; wherein the control system is configured to receive, via information exchange between the control system, the device to be tested and at least one of the databases, identification information associated with the device, to determine one or more tests to be applied to the device based on the identification information, the identification information including information about the environment in which the device to be tested is currently located and information about logistical support for the device to be tested, the control system further being configured to transmit test software for the one or more determined tests to the test system for running on the test system and test information defining the one or more tests to be applied to the device using the test software, the test information being provided to configure the test system into a synthetic instrument for carrying out specified measurements on the device to be tested, the control system further being configured to receive test results from the test system and to access information held in at least one database to perform analysis of the test results.