Erik T Crank

US Patent:

6577981, Jun 10, 2003

Filed:

Feb 26, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/259161

Inventors:

James Grey - Cedar Park TX
Erik Crank - Austin TX

Assignee:

National Instruments Corporation - Austin TX

International Classification:

G01R 2728

US Classification:

702119, 702118, 702120, 702123

Abstract:

A test executive program which provides greatly improved configurability and modularity, thus simplifying the creation, modification and execution of test sequences. The test executive program includes process models for improved flexibility, modularity and configurability. Process models provide a modular and configurable entity for encapsulating operations and functionality associated with a class of test sequences. The process model thus encapsulates a âtesting processâ for a plurality of test sequences. The process model enables the user to write different test sequences without repeating standard testing operations in each sequence. The test executive program also includes step types for improved configurability. A step type is a modular, identifiable unit configured by the user which defines common properties and/or operations associated with a plurality of steps. Instances of the step type incorporate this common functionality and/or properties from the step type, and thus the user is not required to hard code that functionality and/or properties in each instance or step.

US Patent:

7613954, Nov 3, 2009

Filed:

Apr 15, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/107337

Inventors:

James A. Grey - Austin TX, US
Erik Crank - Austin TX, US

Assignee:

National Instruments Corporation - Austin TX

International Classification:

G06F 11/00

US Classification:

714 38, 714 54

Abstract:

A system and method for detecting and/or preventing execution problems caused by user-supplied code modules that are called by steps of a test executive sequence. The test executive sequence may include a plurality of test executive steps. At least a subset of the steps may be configured to call user-supplied code modules. The test executive sequence may be executed on a host computer under control of a test executive engine. For each step that calls a user-supplied code module, the test executive engine may perform certain actions to detect and/or prevent execution problems caused by the user-supplied code module. For example, the test executive engine may be operable to automatically detect stack corruption caused by the user-supplied code module, may be operable to utilize stack safety buffers to avoid stack corruption problems caused by the user-supplied code module, and/or may include features for aiding a user in determining whether the user-supplied code module contains an uninitialized local variable.