Testing environment for embedded software product lines

In this paper, a testing environment for embedded systems developed in software product lines is proposed. In software product lines, various kinds of device are produced from the same resources and there are many product variations of the systems. The proposed testing environment includes the following three functions that help testers to validate each variation to guarantee the reliable operation of the systems. The first is the communications simulator, which allows actual devices to communicate with virtual devices operating on circuit board emulators. The simulator enables testers to construct a test system efficiently because they can change opposing devices' kind or number easily on a PC. The second function constitutes widgets that imitate the input-output elements on a circuit board. This allows the training time in operating the proposed testing environment to be reduced and facilitates its introduction to the development site. The third function allows the operating status of the circuit board emulators to be set, thus enabling testers to edit the contents of the memory emulators and validate each operating status of the system easily. We evaluated the proposed environment in a comparative trial with a conventional testing environment consisting only of actual devices in a system to confirm its efficiency and comprehensibility. The proposed environment achieved a 57% improvement in the testers' operating time and correct test results, without the environment being explained to the testers in detail.