FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a test system for testing a control unit of a system and to a method for testing a control unit of a system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When producing a system, for example an aircraft, it is necessary to test a control unit of the system in order to ensure a functionality of the control unit.

In complex systems in particular, for example a cockpit of an aircraft, numerous setting operations are needed to test or check all configurations or functions of the cockpit.

A test method for such a system is very time-consuming using engineers who must manually or independently identify and set the respective control elements for setting respective configurations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There may therefore be a need to further improve and accelerate a sequence for testing control units.

Aspects of the present invention provides a test system for testing a control unit of a system. The test system comprises a management server which is configured to provide predefined test instructions. The test system also comprises a monitoring system which is configured to convert test instructions provided by the management server into operating instructions for setting a test configuration on a control unit of a system using predefined assignment logic. The monitoring system is also configured to divide operating instructions for setting the test configuration into partial instructions for setting a partial configuration on the control unit and to temporally and/or logically classify the partial instructions and thereby to temporally and/or logically coordinate them with one another. The monitoring system is also configured to transmit the partial instructions to a number of output units according to their temporal and/or logical classification. The test system also comprises a number of output units. Provision is made for respective output units of the number of output units to be configured to output the partial instructions transmitted by the monitoring system in order to make it possible for a number of engineers to set the test configuration on the control unit of the system in a temporally and/or logically coordinated manner.

The term “test instruction” relates to sequences, that is to say temporal and/or logical sequences for setting at least one test configuration on a control unit.

The term “test configuration” relates to a specific configuration, that is to say a specific state of control elements of a control unit or a sequence of different states of control elements of a control unit over time.

The term “operating instruction” relates to information for setting respective control elements of a control unit.

The term “partial instruction” relates to a part of an operating instruction which is provided for output on a respective output unit.

The term “assignment logic” relates to instructions for converting test instructions into operating instructions. For example, assignment logic comprises instructions for converting test instructions into operating instructions, wherein the operating instructions comprise information for identifying at least one control element, by means of which a test configuration corresponding to the test instructions can be set on a control unit.

A test configuration is set on a control unit, for example, in order to check a function of the control unit and/or a function of a system controlled by the control unit in response to the test configuration being set. In order to check a system and/or a test configuration, the test system comprises, in one example, a system interface which is configured to set the system on the basis of test instructions predefined by the management server, to capture a state of the system and to transmit the captured state of the system to the management server. In this case, the management server is also configured to check the test configuration set on the control unit using the state of the system captured by the system interface by comparing the state of the system captured by the system interface with a desired state of the system predefined for the test configuration which has been set, for example.

In one example, provision is made for respective output units of the number of output units to comprise at least one sensor and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to capture performance of a setting operation by an engineer assigned to a respective output unit and/or by a robot assigned to the respective output unit using the at least one sensor, to log it and to report it back to the monitoring system.

In one example, the operating instructions comprise information for orientation on the control unit and/or hints for operating at least one control element of the control unit.

In another example, at least one part of the number of output units is in the form of data glasses. Provision is also made for respective partial instructions corresponding to the operating instructions to comprise control commands which configure the respective output units to identify control elements on the control unit which correspond to the test configuration and to mark them in a temporally and/or logically coordinated manner.

In one example, the monitoring system is configured to automatically dynamically divide the operating instructions into a number of partial instructions on the basis of free output units and/or robots and to automatically and dynamically distribute the number of partial instructions to the output units and/or robots on the basis of respective specifications of the output units and/or robots.

In another example, the monitoring system is configured to divide the operating instructions into a number of partial instructions according to predefined temporal and/or logical information.

In one example, the test system comprises at least one user interface. The at least one user interface can be configured to receive information transmitted by the output unit and/or the management server as an intermediate station and to output it on an output unit and/or to edit it.

A user interface makes it possible for an engineer to monitor and possibly change a test which is running in an automatic or semiautomatic manner and runs using the test system.

An aspect of the invention also provides a method for testing a control unit of a system using a test system. The method comprises the following steps of:

a) providing predefined test instructions by means of a management server;

b) converting the test instructions provided by the management server into operating instructions for setting a test configuration on a control unit of a system using predefined assignment logic by means of a monitoring system;

c) classifying the operating instructions as temporal and/or logical partial instructions;

d) transmitting the partial instructions to a number of output units on the basis of the temporal and/or logical classification carried out in step c);

e) setting the test configuration on the control unit on the basis of test instructions predefined by the management server by means of the output unit.

According to one example, the method also comprises the steps of:

f) capturing and forwarding a state of the system to the management server by means of a system interface in response to the test configuration being set on the control unit;

g) checking the test configuration set on the control unit using the state of the system captured by the system interface by means of the management server.

An aspect of the present invention is used, in particular, to supply output units with operating instructions in a coordinated manner in order to perform test instructions of a test on a system. A monitoring unit is provided for this purpose, which monitoring unit subdivides the test instructions into partial instructions and transmits them to respective output units in a temporally and/or logically coordinated manner, that is to say in a manner temporally and/or logically matched to one another. In order to subdivide the predefined test instructions into the partial instructions, the monitoring unit may use a predefined scheme or may dynamically carry out an allocation or division on the basis of a current state and/or on the basis of properties of respective output units.

These and further aspects of the present invention will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below.

