Re: [OT] Automated testing of multimeter board/software...

[Andrew Kilgore <andrew.kilgore@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Keith,

How do you obtain the test results ?
> Using a PC?
> Is it commercial software of something written in house?
>

Over a serial port using in house software...

Your relay idea sounds like a plan...
Any idea where I could find such a (PCI/USB) board...?

Software-wise, I'm thinking that I could share a kernel event between the
the test program and the switcher program.

BTW: From all your time in BT, did you ever hear of a "Hawk"
box...?

Cheers,
Andy.

On 11/23/05, Keith Doxey <ukha@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi Andrew
>
>
> > I work with a product used by telecom engineers to
measure/diagnose
> faults
> > on telecom lines.
> >
> > At present we are trying to automate some of testing - starting
with
> basic
> > multimeter functions.
> > Ideally, we'd like to have a breadboard of resistors and some
method of
> > (preferably automatically) switching "configurations".
> >
> > For example, suppose the breadboard has 10 resistors (R1 - R10),
what we
> > currently have to do is:
> > Set our terminals to the ends of R1, run our test, store/confirm
> measured
> > value
> > Set our terminals to the ends of R2, run our test, store/confirm
> measured
> > value
> > etc.
> >
>
> How do you obtain the test results ?
> Using a PC?
> Is it commercial software of something written in house?
>
> > Of course this means someone has to manually set the terminals
between
> > tests.
> > Does anyone have any ideas of how we might automate this process
such
> that
> > we could run the suite of tests without the need for manual
> intervention.
> >
>
> If the software is written in house and you have someone who could add
a
> few
> bit then you can do the following...
>
> Just use a bank of relays to connect the appropriate resistor to the
test
> leads. The relays could be operated via a parallel port, or a PIC chip
> driven by a USB or Serial port. After each set of tests, the
appropriate
> code is sent to the PIC to oprerate the correct relay for the next
test.
>
> I built a tester for KAT5 modules using just that method, except that
> everything is under the control of a single PIC16F628A.
>
> Regards
>
> Keith
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]