Scheduling method and apparatus for a distributed automated testing system
US6014760A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 22, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jan 11, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 22, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/31903
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides a scheduling method and apparatus for use in an automated testing system for automatically scheduling and allocating jobs to test machines. The automated testing system may be distributed over a network, such as the Internet, for testing hardware and software. The user interfaces generate jobs in response to selections by the users and output the obs onto the network in the form of data packets. A plurality of test machines are in communication with the dispatcher machines via the network. When a test machine is available to process a job, the available test machine generates availability data packets which indicate that the test machine is available to process a job. These availability data packets are sent over the network and routed to the dispatcher machine designated by the address contained in the availability data packet. Upon receiving an availability data packet, the dispatcher machine determines whether one or more of the jobs on the list of jobs maintained by the dispatcher machine is capable of being performed by the available test machine. If one or more of the jobs listed are capable of being performed by the available test machine, the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.