Automated functional testing systems and methods of making and using the same

{
  "publication_number": "US11982597B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Automated functional testing systems and methods of making and using the same",
  "abstract": "An automatic robot control system and methods relating thereto are described. These systems include components such as a touch screen panel (“TSP”) robot controller for controlling a TSP robot, a camera robot controller for controlling a camera robot and an audio robot controller for controlling an audio robot. The TSP robot operates inside a TSP testing subsystem, the camera robot operates inside a camera testing subsystem, and the audio robot operates inside an audio testing subsystem. Inside the audio testing subsystem, an audio signals measurement system, using a bi-directional coupling, controls the operation of the audio robot controller. In this control scheme, a test application controller is designed to control the different types of subsystem robots. Methods relating to TSP, camera, and audio robots, and their controllers, taken individually or in combination, for automatic testing of device functionalities are also described.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of automated functional testing, said method comprising: determining or receiving information whether one or more of multiple camera testing jigs are vacant, wherein said multiple camera testing jigs are disposed, inside a camera subsystem, between said camera load conveyor and said camera unload conveyor or said camera reject conveyor, determining, using said camera load conveyor sensor, whether one or more of said multiple test devices are detected, one said test device at a time, on said camera load conveyor; and placing, using said camera load/unload robot, said multiple test devices, one, and not multiples, of said test device at a time, on a single device holder disposed in said vacant camera testing jigs until said vacant camera testing jigs are filled and said multiple test devices fill said vacant camera testing jigs to produce occupied camera testing jigs inside said camera testing subsystem, downloading, using a wireless connection and on said test device, one or more camera test applications that are stored on a test application controller; testing, using one or more of said camera test applications in conjunction with a camera test robot, camera functionalities of one, and not multiples, of said test devices at a time; generating a camera test result, which indicates whether said test device passed or failed said testing camera functionalities; conveying, using said camera load/unload robot, said test device present at said occupied camera testing jig to a camera unload conveyor, if said camera test result indicates that said test device passed said testing camera functionalities; and removing, using said camera load/unload robot, said test device from said occupied camera testing jig to a camera reject conveyor, if said camera test result indicates that said test device failed said testing camera functionalities.",
    "2. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, further comprising testing simultaneously camera functionalities of said multiple test devices after said multiple occupied camera testing jigs are produced inside said camera testing subsystem.",
    "3. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, further comprising placing, using same said camera load/unload robot, another of said test devices on said vacant camera testing jig after said conveying or said removing vacates said camera testing jig by unloading said test device therefrom.",
    "4. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, wherein said testing camera functionalities of said test device includes testing one functionality of said test device chosen from a group comprising without-axis functionality, proximity sensing functionality, light sensing functionality, side key functionality, accelerator sensor functionality, front camera functionality, front video functionality, rear camera functionality, and rear video functionality.",
    "5. The method of automated functional testing of claim 4, wherein said testing said accelerator functionality of said test device includes rotating said test device around an axis that extends along a middle region of said test device such that said test device tilts up at one end in a positive Z-direction, and correspondingly tilts down at another end in a negative Z-direction.",
    "6. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, wherein said testing at least one functionality chosen from a group comprising front camera functionality, front video functionality, rear camera functionality, and rear video functionality, includes rotating said test device, by 180° or 360°, around a longitudinal axis that extends along a length of said test device such that said test device flips a front side to a back side or from said back side to said front side.",
    "7. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, wherein after said testing of camera functionalities of said test device is complete, providing said test results from said test application controller to said camera load/unload robot.",
    "8. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, further comprising testing audio functionalities of said test device, in an audio testing subsystem, after said conveying said test device to a camera unload conveyor.",
    "9. The method of automated functional testing of claim 1, wherein said conveying or said removing includes: moving a camera testing shuttle from a camera test region to a camera load/unload region, wherein said camera testing jig is secured on said camera testing shuttle; picking up, using said camera load/unload robot, said test device from said camera testing jig; and displacing said camera load/unload robot in X-direction."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present teachings generally relate to novel systems and methods relating to automated functional testing of devices (e.g., hand-held devices like smart phones). More particularly, the present teachings relate to novel systems and methods that automatically test devices for various functionalities, such as their download functionalities, touch screen panel functionalities, camera functionalities and audio functionalities.\n\nHand-held devices, such as smart phones, have become valuable for more than just making and receiving phone calls. Myriad of features offered by hand-held devices require integration of many complicated components. In the event of device failure, these components are subjected to various tests, most of which are manual in nature. To the extent certain types of tests are automated, they are not automated enough and are, therefore, time consuming and translate into a lower throughput for the device testing process.\n\nWhat is, therefore, needed are automated systems and methods that automatically, rapidly and accurately test the different functionalities offered by a hand-held device.\n\nTo achieve the foregoing, the present arrangements and teachings offer systems and methods relating to automated functional testing of hand-held devices. In their failed state, hand-held devices are subjected to testing, according to present systems and methods, and are referred to as “test devices.” Once the test devices are tested for defects, their identified defects are repaired, and they are reconfigured to their original factory form. In their reconfigured form, the hand-held devices may be sold as a refurbished item.",
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  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Myung Ki Kim"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2022-07-22",
  "publication_date": "2024-05-14",
  "grant_date": "2024-05-14",
  "priority_date": "2017-04-06",
  "application_number": "US-202217870869-A",
  "family_id": "63712328",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
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