System and method for building a database defining a plurality of communication interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for providing seamless communication with threads executing on an embedded computer. Using a DAT system, a programmer can test the communication interfaces of a thread via a scripting program, any COM-compliant program, or a graphical test utility. The DAT system automatically formats a block of data that is transmitted between the embedded computer and a host computer and accounts for machine specific enumeration sizes, machine specific pointer sizes, machine specific structure alignment boundaries, machine specific integer sizes, and machine specific byte ordering.

1 . A method for testing a routine, the method comprising: 
 displaying a communication window comprising one or more data set fields, wherein the data sets comprise previously received payloads for one or both of a command message and a response message;    receiving first user input from one or more of the data set fields from a user, wherein the first input indicates one or more characteristics of a first payload to be built;    receiving second user input from one or more of the data set fields from a user, wherein the second input indicates one or more characteristics of a second payload to be set;    building a first payload consistent with the characteristics indicated by the first user input; and    setting a second payload consistent with the characteristics indicated by the second user input,    wherein one or both of the command message and the response message are from a communication interface between a host device and an embedded device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 displaying a plurality of communication interfaces between the host device and the embedded device; and    receiving a third user input to identify a selected communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces,    wherein one or both of the command message and the response message are from the selected communication interface.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface configured to receive at least one of the user inputs.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a graphical user interface configured to receive all of the user inputs.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the values of the one or more data set fields upon receiving a storing user input.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising loading the values of the one or more data set fields upon receiving a loading user input.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein one or both of receiving first user input and receiving second user input comprises receiving the loading user input.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving time interval user input comprising a time interval of data value transmission, and wherein the building the first payload further comprises transmitting data values in sequence at the time interval of data value transmission.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying a communication window comprising one or more data set fields comprises displaying the contents of a number of previously received payloads, and further comprising receiving payload number user input to indicate the number of previously received payloads.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving data set fields user input to indicate the number of the one or more data set fields in the communication window.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising formatting one or both of the first payload and the second payload based upon a characteristic of the embedded device.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting one or both of the first payload and the second payload from the host device to the embedded device.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting one or both of the first payload and the second payload from the embedded device to the host device.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the building the first payload and the setting the second payload comprise transmitting data values from the embedded device to the host device.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the building the first payload and the setting the second payload comprise transmitting data values from the host device to the embedded device.  
   
   
       16 . A system for testing a routine, the method comprising: 
 means for displaying a communication window comprising one or more data set fields, wherein the data sets comprise previously received payloads for one or both of a command message and a response message;    means for receiving first user input from one or more of the data set fields from a user, wherein the first input indicates one or more characteristics of a first payload to be built;    means for receiving second user input from one or more of the data set fields from a user, wherein the second input indicates one or more characteristics of a second payload to be set;    means for building a first payload consistent with the characteristics indicated by the first user input; and    means for setting a second payload consistent with the characteristics indicated by the second user input    wherein one or both of the command message and the response message are from a communication interface between a host device and an embedded device.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein one or both of means for receiving first user input and means for receiving second user input comprises a graphical user interface.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 means for displaying a plurality of communication interfaces between the host device and the embedded device; and    means for receiving a third user input to identify a selected communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces,    wherein one or both of the command message and the response message are from the selected communication interface.    
   
   
       19 . A system for testing a routine, the method comprising one or more modules configured to perform the functions of: 
 displaying a communication window comprising one or more data set fields, wherein the data sets comprise previously received payloads for one or both of a command message and a response message;    receiving first user input from one or more of the data set fields from a user, wherein the first input indicates one or more characteristics of a first payload to be built;    receiving second user input from one or more of the data set fields from a user, wherein the second input indicates one or more characteristics of a second payload to be set;    building a first payload consistent with the characteristics indicated by the first user input; and    setting a second payload consistent with the characteristics indicated by the second user input,    wherein one or both of the command message and the response message are from a communication interface between a host device and an embedded device.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more modules are further configured to perform the functions of: 
 displaying a plurality of communication interfaces between the host device and the embedded device; and    receiving a third user input to identify a selected communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces,    wherein one or both of the command message and the response message are from the selected communication interface.