Frequent product issues lead to testers working overtime, while developers are busy putting out fires. Is there a better solution?How can we continuously ensure the reliability and stability of products during rapid iterations?

Embedded systems are generally the core unit of a product. The reliability of the embedded system determines the overall quality of the product. If automated testing tools are used for thorough testing during the product development phase, it will greatly improve reliability and reduce various tricky problems that may arise during actual operations after release.

This article introduces an automated testing tool (UTP Embedded Automated Testing System) that can perform fully automated testing of various functions of embedded systems (various boards). It supports users in quickly writing test logic through a graphical interface, is very easy to use, and supports multiple users working together. Free trials are currently available (including the entire software and hardware package). Please see the end of the article for application details.

Introduction to UTP Embedded Automated Testing System

UTP Embedded Automated Testing System (hereinafter referred to as UTP system) is a universal automated testing system that can perform various functional automated tests on the tested board through various interfaces (such as serial port, CAN, SPI/I2C, GPIO, AD, DA). It supports bus communication testing, signal input/output testing, Bluetooth/WiFi testing, screen display testing, touch screen and button testing, etc.

Features of UTP System

• Supports “multi-input and multi-output” testing for various interfaces of embedded boards, suitable for testing various complex input/output timing of the tested system.

• Supports testing of various communication protocols, supports various customized business protocol formats, adapts to multiple verification algorithms (such as CRC, Checksum, LRC, etc.), and supports automatic encoding/decoding and automatic checking.

• Supports visual writing of test cases, real-time monitoring of test data, supports exception injection, and automatic comparison and judgment.

• Supports automatic generation of test reports, supports exporting Word version test reports.

• A single system supports multiple users working together, supporting multiple users in writing and automatically executing test cases.

Functions of UTP System

• Visual case editing, supports creating various complex timing cases, meeting the automation testing needs of various scenarios.

• Automated regression testing, supports scheduled execution at night, meeting the product iteration development needs, continuously ensuring the reliability and stability of the tested product.

• Automatically generates test data and reports, meets the testing needs of complex scenarios, supports generating Word version test cases, and supports exporting Word version test reports.

• Supports various bus communication testing, wireless communication testing, signal input/output testing, visual recognition testing, touch screen and button testing, etc.

Application Examples

Below, we will introduce how to use the UTP testing system for automated testing of various functions of embedded systems with practical examples.

In the above example, the tested embedded system has CAN, serial, and WiFi communication functions, collecting PWM, IO, and analog signals from the outside and outputting PWM, IO, and analog signals. To perform automated testing on this example tested embedded system, the testing device must be able to simulate external modules injecting various data and signals into the tested system and automatically check whether the output data and signals of the tested system are correct according to the predetermined timing.

The UTP automated testing system can effectively perform automated testing on the above example tested system. The UTP system provides various types of testing robots and hardware modules that can interact with various input and output interfaces of the tested system (inputting data and signals into the tested system, detecting various data and signals output by the tested system), and supports users in creating various automated testing timings through a graphical interface, achieving comprehensive verification of the timing, logic, and scenarios of the tested system.

Multi-Interface Input and Output Testing

The UTP embedded automated testing system provides various testing robot modules that support automatic interaction with various input and output interfaces of the tested system, achieving comprehensive automated testing of the tested system. For example, the following testing robots are used in the above example:

①　CAN communication simulation robot–used for communication, testing, and simulation of CAN data with the tested system, supports various CAN protocol formats, supports various functional simulation tests, and supports testing and simulation of multiple CAN communication nodes.

②　Serial communication testing robot–used for data communication with the embedded system through the serial port, supports various data sending and receiving tests, and supports various customized protocols, including Modbus protocol.

③　WiFi communication testing robot–communicates with the embedded system through WiFi, supports various customized data frame formats, supports data checking, and supports simulation communication nodes for testing business logic.

④　PWM signal testing robot–supports inputting PWM signals with specified frequency and duty cycle into the tested system, checking various indicators (frequency, count, duty cycle, etc.) of the PWM signals output by the tested system.

⑤　IO signal testing robot–supports inputting high and low level signals into the tested system, automatically checking the level signals output by the tested system.

⑥　Analog signal testing robot–supports inputting analog signals into the tested system, supports detecting the analog signals output by the tested system.

Designing Automated Test Scripts

The UTP embedded automated testing system provides graphical automated case editing functions, supporting the design of test cases that meet various business scenarios and timing requirements, achieving collaborative automated testing of “multi-input and multi-output”.

The following figure shows an automated test case of the example project, which simulates, tests, checks, and judges the serial, CAN interfaces, WiFi, digital signals, and analog signals PWM signals.

Installation and Configuration

The UTP embedded automated testing system is relatively easy to use, mainly divided into three steps: connect hardware interfaces, configure test parameters, write and execute cases. The download package of the UTP system includes detailed introduction documents and material manuals.

Connecting Hardware

The standard version of the UTP embedded automated testing system provides various hardware. Below are the connection diagrams for different tests.

• Hardware connection for serial testing (supports RS485/RS232/TTL)

  

• Hardware connection for CAN testing (supports CAN/CANFD)

• I2C master testing hardware connection

• I2C slave testing hardware connection

• SPI master testing hardware connection

• SPI slave testing hardware connection

• Digital signal testing connection

• PWM signal acquisition testing hardware connection

• PWM signal excitation testing hardware connection

• Analog signal acquisition testing connection

• Analog signal excitation testing connection

Installation, Startup, and Parameter Configuration

• Install UTP Embedded Testing Standard Edition software

• Start the UTP testing platform

Double-click the desktop icon “UTP Platform Manager,”

Start the testing platform on the platform manager

Main page of the UTP platform

• Start the UTP testing executor

Double-click the desktop icon “UTP Embedded Testing Executor,”

UTP Embedded Testing Executor interface:

• Parameter configuration

Below is the configuration page for serial testing.

Below is the configuration page for CAN testing.

Performing Automated Testing

After installation and configuration, all testing work can be done on the platform webpage: designing various test cases, simulating various business scenarios, testing various complex timings, executing fully automated tests, outputting test reports, etc.

Creating Test Cases and Communication Protocols

Supports hierarchical organization of various test cases.

Supports visual writing of various test case logic.

Provides tools to define the communication protocols used by the tested system (including various protocol fields and verification algorithms, such as Checksum, LRC, CRC, etc.), supporting testing of various communication protocols.

Performing Communication-Related Tests

• According to the communication protocol requirements, automatically send data to the tested system and check various field values of the response data from the tested system.

• Send data using the Modbus protocol and check the response.

• Load data from a CSV file for batch sending.

• Automatically check whether the checksum of the data sent by the tested system is correct.

Performing Signal-Related Tests

• Write level signals to the tested system.

• Collect level signals output by the tested system.

• Output analog signals to the tested system.

• Output analog quantities (such as temperature) to the tested system, automatically converting to voltage signals.

• Collect analog signals output by the tested system and automatically convert them to analog quantities (such as temperature) for checking.

• Output PWM signals with specified frequency and duty cycle to the tested system.

Automatically Generate Test Reports

The UTP testing system automatically generates test reports, supporting the export of test reports (Word file format). The reports include statistics on executed cases and detailed results of each case execution. In the example test report below, failed cases are automatically highlighted with the corresponding steps and failure reasons, facilitating quick problem localization.

• View reports online.

• Download the Word version test report.

Technical Services and Support

• Free support for users during project deployment and use.

• Free technical training (no limit on the number of participants).

• Free technical support during use.

• Provide a complete set of technical documents and video materials.

• Lifetime free software upgrades.

More Information and Trial Application

UTP Embedded Automated Testing Standard Edition (including the entire software and hardware package) is now available for free trial application. Please scan the QR code below to submit your trial application:

You can also open the link below on your computer to submit your trial application:

https://www.antestin.com/resources/app/product2/emb_test_product.html

Product introduction video:

https://space.bilibili.com/668615306

Scan the QR code below on your phone to view the introduction video:

If you need more information, please contact us via WeChat:

Company Introduction

We specialize in providing various automated testing tools and solutions for clients in various industries, helping clients establish automated testing environments, and discovering various issues in products early on, continuously ensuring the reliability and stability of products. More information can be found at the following link:

Company website: https://www.macrosoftsys.com

Consultation phone: 400 880 6505

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