BBT is a synonym for Automated Test Environments (ATE) based on Black Box Testing (BBT) principles by RT-RK Computer Based Systems. BBT ATEs includes both proprietary software and hardware required for testing of Set-Top Boxes (STB) and integrated Digital TV sets (iDTV). Nevertheless, modularity and flexibility of the concept, software and hardware, as well as logistic built around the BBT enable you to set up your own test environment for many other electronic consumer A/V devices and deploy in-house test equipment, regardless of the scope and volume of the project.
BBT ATEs can be deployed in referent and non-referent systems, meaning that Pass/Fail criteria may be given as adequate performance compared to referent ("golden") device, or simply as set of arithmetic rules which describe acceptable performance of the tested device calculated upon captured A/V signal.
BBT ATEs are PC based solutions, where test development and control perform under Microsoft™ Windows® operating system, and IT infrastructure may be used to access remote devices, signal feeds, and sharing/access of test results over Local Area Network (LAN).
A common name for any consumer device tested by BBT ATE is Device Under Test (DUT). BBT tests DUT's behavior from the point of its interfaces. At all times all DUT's inputs have to be physically connected with sources of signal, and all outputs with instrumentation which captures DUT's output signal further analyzed by the BBT test control application. Monitoring of the video output can also be performed via an optical device i.e. camera. Physical connection of DUT's interfaces with signal generators and audio and video capture devices at all times is a precondition of full automation. It is also essential in system testing when dealing with system stability, evaluating the performance under heavy load, i.e. stress conditions, situations where there are interruptions in input signal, or other possibility for corner cases and errors, which is one of the main scopes of BBT.
BBT test control application has to have means to set DUT in the required state, adjust its parameters, and read their values, during the course of testing. Today, most A/V devices are accessed via remote controller. For this purpose, BBT environment integrates infra-red controller emulators to communicate with DUT. IR emulator is connected to the PC station via USB or RS232 port.
BBT ATE can perform parallel testing of multiple devices. This is essential at Set Top Box (STB) testing to provide adequate throughput of services.
Signal generators feed DUT with live or static test signal. Generators feeds need to be connected to DUT's inputs at all times for fully automated test. Audio/Video standards provided by the generators need to cover the range of standards/modulations supported by the tested device. Generators are connected to the PC station usually via RS232, LAN or GPIB interface. From the BBT test development and control software they are seen as low level instrumentation libraries. BBT ATEs therefore come with low level instrumentation software for dozen of most commonly used signal generators. To decrease stacking of the required instruments, especially at iDTV testing, BBT offers dedicated proprietary instrumentation, RT-AV300 and RT-AV400. Given the rules on how to make a device driver for new instrumentation, any new PC based piece of equipment can be deployed as part of BBT test environment.
Grabber devices capture DUT's output signal which is stored and further processed by dedicated libraries for audio and video analysis within BBT test development and control environment. For fully automated test, grabber devices need to be connected with DUT's outputs at all times. From the BBT test development and control software, grabber devices are seen as instrumentation libraries. Any PC based grabber device can become part of BBT test environment, having implemented its device driver library, following the guidelines on how to make a device driver for new instrumentation. For tests of the greatest emphasis, such as iDTV and Set Top Box testing, BBT offers proprietary hardware solutions:
- RT-AV100 (networked, STB)
- RT-AV030 (LVDS input, iDTV)
- RT-AV300 (LVDS input and signal generator, iDTV)
- camera based RT-AV400 (iDTV)
Test development and control software in BBT environment is RT-EXECUTOR. It describes test environment, and engages deployed devices by using low level communication routines to access their variables. It automatically detects connected instrumentation, and executes a test or a test projectin a consecutive set of steps hiring DUT, generators, grabbers, and integrated libraries for audio and video analysis. Comprehensive test reports in various formats - HTML, PDF, Word® and Excel® are generated during the course of testing. Intuitive and simple GUI of RT-EXECUTOR, and its support for Python based scripting facilitate the process of test development. Integrated step wise test execution speeds up debugging and decreases the possibility for errors to minimum.
RT INTENT is a BBT's control platform to aid complex processes of research and development (R&D), quality assurance (QA), and product manufacture across different company's departments and various phases in product's development and production. With its mechanisms of test management, test plan management, database management, requirement management, and reporting, it supports testing in each phase in product's life-cycle enhancing the mechanisms of knowledge base transition, reusability of tests, their extendibility and specialization according to the needs of each department individually.
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